


Trekkies in Love

by therumjournals



Category: Star Trek RPF
Genre: AU, Awkwardness, M/M, Pinto, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-30
Updated: 2010-11-20
Packaged: 2017-10-17 12:45:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 32,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/176983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/therumjournals/pseuds/therumjournals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>LtCmdrZach and jtk1980 meet up at a Star Trek convention in 1997.</p>
          </blockquote>





	1. Trekkies in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LtCmdrZach and jtk1980 meet up at a Star Trek convention in 1997.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired and heavily influenced by the amazing documentary [Trekkies](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120370/), which everyone needs to watch immediately.

Zach shifted his bag onto his shoulder as he approached the front desk.

“Hi, I have a reservation. Zachary Quinto.” The keyboard clicked as the hotel clerk checked him in. “Um, can you tell me if jtk1980 has checked in yet?”

She raised an eyebrow at him.

“He’s supposed to be my roommate?”

She checked the monitor and shook her head. “No one else has checked into the room yet,” she told him. Zach nodded, relieved, as she handed him the key. At least now he’d have time to change.

**

Zach heard a knock on the door and took one last look in the mirror before he went to answer it. He paused with his hand on the doorknob, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

He’d known jtk1980 had been working on the Kirk costume from _Mirror, Mirror_. And he knew from a conversation on AOL Instant Messenger that his real name was Chris and that he was from Southern California. But when he opened the door, he almost thought for a second that it was Captain James T. Kirk standing there in the hallway, smirking at him. He managed to shake off the illusion as the kid gave him a little salute. “Lieutenant-Commander.”

Zach stood up a little straighter and held up a hand in the Vulcan salute. “And you must be jtk1980.”

“Yep. You can call me Chris though. I, uh, I like your ears.” He reached a hand out tentatively. “Do you mind?”

Zach shook his head and turned a little so Chris could touch. They were synthetic, of course, and he couldn’t feel the finger that Chris was tracing across the pointed tip, but that didn’t stop Zach from shivering a little just the same.

“Wow,” Chris said. “Realistic.”

Zach grinned. And to think he’d actually wondered whether they’d be worth the $500. Best money he ever spent.

Zach stepped back and gestured for Chris to step inside. “Welcome to our quarters,” he said.

Chris chuckled and glanced around, dropping his bag onto one of the beds. “Awesome.” He turned around and gave Zach a significant look. “So. What do you think?” He spread his arms.

Zach’s eyes traveled over the gold vest and sash, took in the details, the fringe and the insignia on his chest. “It’s amazing,” he said, finally. “I can’t believe you made that yourself.”

Chris grinned. “My mom bought me a sewing machine,” he said, blushing.

“The sash is perfect,” Zach said, stepping forward and taking the end of it in his hand, examining the fabric. “Although…this part here is a little darker in the actual episode.”

Chris sighed and shook his head. “I know. Dammit! I told my mom we had to go back to the fabric store again, but she said it was too late and I had to work with what I had. Dammit!”

“It’s okay,” Zach reassured him. “It doesn’t interfere with the overall look. It’s great, really. I’m sure no one will notice.”

“ _You_ noticed.”

“I have an eye for detail,” Zach said, feeling his face flush. He stared at the carpet as an awkward beat passed.

“Have you been down to the floor yet?” Chris asked.

“No.” Zach looked up again, excited. “Had to get ready. You want to go down?”

“Yeah,” Chris said. “I’m dying to get my hands on a schedule.”

Zach picked up a stack of papers from the desk. “Printed this off the internet before I came,” he said with a grin.

Chris reached for it, then hesitated. “Can I…”

“Sure.” Zach handed him the stack and picked up a shopping bag, and they headed out of the room.

Chris barely looked up from the schedule as they took the elevator down and walked through the lobby. Zach had marked it up with circles and asterisks indicating which panels he was planning to go to and which vendors he wanted to visit.

“Dude, you’re not going to the Klingon weaponry workshop? Are you crazy?”

“It’s at the same time as Advanced Vulcan,” Zach said, as though it were obvious. “I can’t believe they’re having those two at the same time. Honestly, that’s why I think this isn’t one of the better cons. Poor planning.”

Chris shook his head in envy. “Man, this is, like, your tenth convention or something, right?”

“Fourteenth,” Zach said proudly.

“Wow. It’s only my second.”

Zach patted him kindly on the shoulder. “You’ll get there. How old are you again?”

“Seventeen. How old were you when you went to your first convention?”

“I went with my brother when I was 14. So you’ve got a few years to catch up.”

“Damn. Guess I’m a late bloomer.” He shook his head wistfully and looked back down at the schedule. “How about I go to the weaponry thing and then I can tell you about it and you can tell me about the Vulcan one?”

“Yeah, okay. Maximize our reach. Good plan.”

They collected their badges and stepped onto the vendor floor. Chris’s mouth dropped and he stood for a moment in awe, but Zach walked quickly ahead, on a mission. Chris jogged a few steps to catch up.

“Where are you going?”

Zach lifted the shopping bag. “I’ve got a couple trades set up. Gotta stop by a couple vendors.”

“Oh. Um. Mind if I come with?”

“No, of course not.”

They approached a table covered with comic books and prop replicas for sale. A guy with long hair and glasses sat behind the table, looking up as Zach approached.

“Are you GornAddict35?” Zach asked. The man nodded slowly. “I’m Lieutenant Commander Zach? You emailed me about a trade?” The man nodded again, and turned around to pull out a cardboard box, overflowing with action figures still in their original packaging. Zach smiled fiendishly and pulled a boxed Gorn figure out of the top of his shopping bag.

Chris gasped and grabbed him by the arm, dragged him a few feet from the table. “Are you _crazy_ ,” he hissed. “Please tell me you are _not_ trading that! Those are totally rare!”

Zach rolled his eyes. “I’ve got three more of these at home. Trust me, I’m getting the better end of this deal.” Chris looked skeptical. “Just trust me.”

**

“Dude,” Chris said, as they walked away from the table, “I can’t believe he just traded you a _limited edition_ Picard _and_ the Voyage Home collection for that piece of shit Gorn!” He was practically leaping with excitement, and Zach was grinning smugly.

“I told you to trust me, didn’t I? Now, how much time do we have until the DS9 panel?”

Chris checked his Star Trek watch. “Thirty minutes.”

“Wanna get some food?”

  
The cashier at McDonalds raised an eyebrow at them and snapped her gum as they ordered. “What are you guys, like, Trekkies or something?” she asked.

“Trekk _ers_ ,” Chris and Zach corrected, and they glanced at each other, smiling in solidarity.

The cashier shrugged. “Whatever.”

“So,” Zach asked, as they took their trays and sat down at a small table by the window. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

Chris snorted, nearly choking on his milkshake. “What do you think?”

Zach shrugged as he played with a fry. “I don’t know.”

“No. Not that I really want one, anyway,” Chris said. Zach looked at him, waiting. “Like I mean there was this one girl at school that talked to me sometimes. And she invited me over to her house to watch TNG. And during a commercial I was telling her about how I had done this whole graph to try to figure out the stardates and stuff and she seemed really bored. So then I asked her what she thought about Picard’s style of leadership versus Kirk’s and she told me she’s never even seen The Original Series, and she just watches TNG because she thinks Wesley is cute, and I was like ‘oh my god, do not talk to me, _please_ ’. You know?”

Zach was cracking up into his cheeseburger and shaking his head. “That’s messed up.”

“I know, right! So, I’ve like given up on girls or whatever.”

“Oh my god, was that the night you posted that rant in the forum about how you can’t wait until it’s the future where people care more about leadership ability and loyalty than about physical appearance?”

Chris blushed. “Uh, yeah. You read that?”

“’course,” Zach said. “I thought…actually…never mind.”

“What?”

Zach shook his head. “Nothing. I just…well, I kinda thought you posted that because you were ugly or something.” He caught Chris’s eye. “But you’re totally not.”

Chris blushed even harder. “Oh. Uh. Thanks?” He glanced at his watch. “We should probably get back if we want good seats.”

“Yeah.”

**

“Goddammit!”

“What?”

Zach leaned away from the wall and counted the people in front of them in line. “We’re, like, 50th in line. And there are only 30 seats in the front row. I swore this would be the year I’d sit first row at the Shatner panel.”

“Well, second row can’t be _that_ bad,” Chris tried.

“Second row is fine for _Deep Space Nine_. But this is _Shatner_! Don’t you want him to see your costume? I mean, come _on_.”

Zach had a point. Chris leaned forward and counted them again. “We’re 45th and 46th,” he said. “That means we only have to beat like 15 people to the front. We can just run up there.” He gave Zach a once over. “You can run fast, right? You look athletic.”

Zach rolled his eyes, but his scowl faded slowly. “Yeah, okay.”

“You play any sports?”

“Track,” Zach said.

“See! I knew you could run!”

Zach shrugged modestly. “What about you?”

“Um…chess club?”

Zach grinned.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just, you really are Kirk, aren’t you?”

Chris was about to say something in response when he felt Zach’s hand squeezing his fingers, hard. He glanced at Zach out of the corner of his eye, but he was staring straight ahead out at the convention floor. “Oh. My. God. Chris. Look. There he is. Oh my god. Leonard Nimoy.”

Chris squinted. Zach was right, there he was, the man himself, walking across the floor surrounded by a team of handlers. His heart pounded in his chest. He glanced down involuntarily to where Zach’s hand was still squeezing his.

“Sorry,” Zach said, pulling his hand away. “I just…I can’t believe this, the Nimoy panel isn’t until tomorrow.”

Zach’s excitement was contagious, and Chris felt himself shaking with anticipation. “Maybe he’s going to be like a surprise guest or something,” he whispered to Zach.

“Chris. We _have_ to get to the front row.”

**

“Oh my god,” Zach said as they followed the crush of people out of the auditorium. “That was insane, Chris, that was….that was like the best experience I’ve ever had, ever!” He turned toward Chris with a serious expression on his face. “You are so lucky. I can’t believe this is only your second con.”

Chris was literally clutching his hands to his chest. “This is the best day of my life. Oh my god, I almost peed myself when Shatner pointed to me!”

“I can’t believe he talked about _Mirror, Mirror_ for like ten minutes.”

“I know! And then when Leonard Nimoy asked why you didn’t have a goatee, oh man, that was _epic_.”

“I know,” Zach squeaked, and he did a little jump in the air as they made their way over to a bench.

They sat for a while, recounting the total awesomeness of the panel, going over every detail so they would remember, and looking up only when they noticed someone approaching.

“Excuse me,” said the guy, smiling nervously. Chris thought he looked like a total dork. He flashed them the Vulcan salute and they returned the gesture. “Are you, um, are you Lieutenant Commander Zach?”

Zach nodded.

“Oh, cool. I love your posts. I’m resistanceisfeudal, by the way.”

Zach smiled tolerantly.

“Who are you?” he asked, looking at Chris.

“I’m jtk1980.”

“Oh wow. You posted that graph of all the stardates!”

“Yeah, that was me.”

“Wow. I feel like I’m meeting celebrities or something.” When Zach and Chris didn’t say anything, he continued. “Anyway, um, my friend over there, T’Pete-“ he gestured to a friend in science blues whose ears were disproportionate and nowhere _near_ as good as Zach’s, “he’s having a party tonight in his hotel room, and we just wanted to let you know. Like, if you guys wanted to come by, that would be awesome. It’s in room 315. There might even be some girls there!”

Zach glanced at Chris, who had a somewhat panicked expression on his face, then back up at the guy. “Thanks, man. I think we’re gonna just chill tonight, but thanks anyway for the invitation.”

“Oh okay. Well, if you change your mind, you should definitely stop by. It was nice to meet you and stuff.” He backed away a few steps before turning and walking back to join his friends.

Chris looked relieved, but he turned to Zach, saying “You didn’t have to say that. I mean, if you want to go…”

Zach shook his head. “Nah. Believe me, girls aren’t that big of a draw for me either.”

Chris opened his mouth and shut it, furrowing his brow. “Oh. Okay.”

“You wanna head up to the room? If we get room service, we can eat while we watch a couple of the TOS episodes I taped.”

“That would be most logical,” Chris agreed.

**

“What the hell, T’Pring,” Chris yelled at the TV, or tried to through a mouth full of cheeseburger. He chewed, taking a sip of Surge to swallow it down. “She’s such a bitch.”

“Seriously,” Zach agreed, dipping a fry in ketchup. “You know what I always wonder during this episode,” he started, pointing the fry at Chris, “is whether Kirk really-“

He was cut off by Chris cursing and jumping off the bed.

“What’s wrong?”

“You got ketchup on my shirt!”

“Oh no!” Zach got up quickly to follow him into the bathroom, where Chris was dabbing frantically at his golden tunic. “Shit, I knew we should have changed before we ate dinner! Here-“ He grabbed the washcloth from Chris’s hand and held it under the cold water. “Don’t scrub at it, you’ll just rub it in…you have to soak it up, like this,” he said, pressing the wash cloth to the stain. He pulled it away and they both looked in dismay at the dark smear that remained.

Chris pulled away and tugged the shirt off over his head. “Fill up the bathtub,” he said. “I’ll try soaking it.”

“Alright.” Zach turned the faucet on cold and they watched quietly as the tub filled.

“I hate you so much right now,” Chris said, but there was no malice in his voice.

“No you don’t,” Zach said with a smile.

“Yes I do. I hate you and I hate your stupid ears. How would you like it if I got ketchup on your ears, huh? And are you planning to wear those things all night or what?”

“Hell no,” Zach said. He’d kind of forgotten he was wearing them. “I have to take them off so they don’t get wrinkled.” He walked over to the mirror as Chris chuckled behind him. Zach ran the warm water and started wetting the ears, slowly peeling them from his skin.

“Be careful,” Chris warned, watching.

“I know. I _need_ to wear these to the panel tomorrow.”

“Yeah, or else how will Leonard Nimoy recognize you?”

“I know!” Zach caught a glimpse of Chris in the mirror, his eyes twinkling. “Oh. Were you kidding?”

Chris shrugged and looked down. “You should definitely wear the ears tomorrow. ‘Specially since I can’t wear the shirt,” he said mournfully.

“I’m really, really sorry, Chris,” Zach said, pulling the second ear off and setting it down carefully on the counter. “I feel really bad about that.”

“You should,” Chris said, leaning down to submerse his tunic carefully in the tub of water. Zach watched him as he bent over, but he was still caught off guard when Chris turned around swiftly and splashed a handful of water towards Zach’s face.

“Ahhh!! Fucker!!”

Chris laughed and splashed him again, this time soaking his t-shirt.

“Quit it, you little-“ Zach rushed forward and pulled Chris’s wrist from the water, reaching down to try to splash Chris. He managed to dunk his hand in and brought it up to swipe the cold water across Chris’s bare chest. Chris shivered and Zach realized he was still gripping him by the wrist, but he didn’t let go. Their eyes met, and Zach leaned forward impulsively to kiss him on the corner of his mouth. He only just felt the touch of Chris’s skin against his lips before Chris recoiled, pulling away so fast that he slammed his head against the doorframe.

“Ow, fuck,” he grunted, and he slid down to the floor, clutching the back of his head.

Zach’s heart was pounding as fear and regret washed over him. He slid to his knees a few feet away from Chris. “Chris, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, man. Shit.”

Chris drew his knees up and buried his face in his arms.

“I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry. Chris?”

Chris shook his head, winced. “S’okay,” he mumbled.

“Do you want me to leave?”

Chris didn’t say anything for a minute, just took a few deep breaths. Zach recognized the sound and knew that Chris was trying not to cry. He looked around, not sure if he should stay or go. He startled when he realized that Chris was saying something to him. “So, are you, like…gay?” His voice cracked on the last word.

Zach bit his lip. “I. Um. I mean. If I was…would you, like, hate me?”

Chris shook his head, his face still buried in his arms. “I already thought, maybe…because of that thing you said, about girls.”

“Oh. Right.” Zach felt that hot, nervous embarrassment that he’d become so familiar with over the past couple years creeping through him. “Well, yeah. I’m gay. I think.”

“You think?”

“I mean, it’s not like I ever really kissed anyone.”

Chris looked up from his arms, squinting his eyes against the light. “ _Anyone_?”

“Not really. I mean, one time this guy kind of kissed me at a party, but I didn’t want to and it was awkward…um…kinda like what happened just now. Oh god, I’m sorry, Chris.”

Chris shook his head. “It’s okay. I don’t…I don’t hate you or anything.”

Zach nodded slowly. “I’m glad.” He watched as Chris took a deep breath, staring at a point somewhere over Zach’s shoulder.

“I think…I might be gay, too,” Chris said.

Zach raised an eyebrow in surprise. “What, ’cause of the whole not liking girls thing?”

“No,” Chris said, and he had to swallow a couple times before he got the next part out. “I kind of have…I, like…I’ve always had a kind of a crush on Kirk, okay?”

Zach put a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing. He wasn’t laughing _at_ Chris, really he wasn’t. Just… “Chris. _Everyone_ has a crush on Kirk.”

Chris met his eyes again, his mouth finally starting to quirk up in a little smile. “Shut up.”

“I’m not saying you’re _not_ gay. I’m just saying…you need something else to judge by.”

Chris thought about it for a second. “What about the fact that I sewed myself a sparkly golden tunic?” he asked.

Zach chuckled. “Okay, yeah. Maybe.” He stood up. “I’m gonna try to get some sleep.” He paused in the doorway. “How’s your head?”

“Hurts like a motherfucker.”

“Are we…okay?”

Chris nodded. “Yeah. I’ll see you in the morning.”

He pressed his face back into his arms as Zach closed the door quietly behind him.

**

When Zach woke up, the room was dark except for a light coming from the other bed. He pushed himself up on his elbows to see Chris sitting up against his headboard, immersed in his Nintendo Gameboy.

“You’re still up?”

Chris shrugged, not looking up from the screen. “Couldn’t sleep.”

Zach wondered if he’d had anything to do with that. He sat up in the bed, crossing his legs. Chris had changed into flannel pajama pants and a black Star Fleet Academy t-shirt. “Nice shirt.”

“Thanks.”

“What’re you playing?”

“ _Beyond the Nexus_.”

Zach nodded knowingly. “It only took me like ten hours to beat that,” he bragged.

Chris rolled his eyes. “I’ve beaten it like twelve times. I’m just trying to get a higher score.”

Zach stood up and walked over to the bed. “Mind if I watch?”

Chris shrugged, but he scooted over so Zach had a pillow to lean back against. He leaned close to Chris to stare at the tiny screen. He watched quietly for a few minutes as Chris annihilated the Klingon armada.

“Nice,” Zach commented.

Chris glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “You breathe loud.”

“Sorry.”

Chris’s thumbs were flying over the controls and he sat up in excitement. Zach leaned over, trying to see the screen until Chris cursed and dropped the Gameboy onto the bed. “Fuck. I lost.”

“Aw, man.”

“You distracted me,” Chris said, nudging him in the arm.

“I just thought I’d make it a little more challenging for you, Mr. ‘I Beat the Game 90,000 Times’ or whatever.”

“Shut up,” Chris said, but he was smiling.

Zach looked over at his bed, then back at the TV. “If you can't sleep, you wanna to watch the rest of the episode?”

“Okay.”

Zach scrambled to the end of the bed, slid the tape into the VCR, and pressed play. He scooted back until he could lean against the headboard again, shifting to get comfortable with his legs bent in front of him, mirroring Chris’s position. They sat in the darkness as the tape picked up where they’d left off.

Zach was only half watching, the rest of his attention focused on Chris sitting beside him, so close he could feel the heat from his body radiating along his side. He relaxed a little, and his leg bumped against Chris’s, and neither of them pulled away. Zach swallowed and stared at the TV, barely seeing. Thank god he had this episode memorized. He felt Chris’s knuckle brush against the back of his hand and stilled, not daring to look down. It took him a few seconds to confirm that the touch wasn’t accidental, that Chris was deliberately running the back of a finger across Zach’s hand, though Zach could see that he was staring straight ahead. Excitement warred with nerves in Zach’s chest. He shifted slightly, turned his hand and closed it around Chris’s fingers. He heard Chris’s breath hitch, felt him change his grip so his hand rested loosely in Zach’s. Chris’s palm was damp and Zach’s wrist was at an awkward angle, but his heart was racing a thousand miles a minute and he wasn’t about to let go. They sat like that for a few minutes, and Zach was paying so much attention to rubbing his thumb over the back of Chris’s hand that he didn’t even notice that the episode was coming to an end. Well, not the end, actually, because he knew the tape cut off two minutes before the episode finished. He cursed internally as he heard the whirr of the VCR and the tape cut off, the TV screen going black and plunging them into darkness.

The room was silent except for their breathing, neither of them wanting to be the first to break the spell. Finally, Zach spoke. “Um. I have another tape. We could watch some more. If you want,” he said, cringing at the halting nervousness in his voice. He was still holding Chris’s hand.

“Okay,” Chris said. He slid his hand out of Zach’s and Zach felt a powerful wave of regret wash over him. Dammit. He’d ruined it, fuck, why did he have to go and say something? He made himself move, away from Chris, off the bed to rummage into his bag for the other tape, then back over to the TV. He changed the tape, pressed play, and climbed back onto the bed next to Chris, leaving space between them. The opening credits came on, blaring loudly. Zach winced.

“Shit, sorry, the sound’s really messed up on this one.” He looked for the remote, saw it on the pillow behind Chris and reached an arm around him to grab it. He turned the volume down, but left his arm where it was, stretched across Chris’s back. He dropped the remote and let his fingers brush against Chris’s side. Zach thought for a second that Chris was going to pull away, but instead he shifted even closer, pressing their sides together, and Zach tightened his grip, curling his fingers against Chris’s t-shirt. He’d stopped pretending to watch TV, his gaze drawn to Chris’s mouth as his tongue darted out to lick his lips. Chris turned to look at him, and as they leaned imperceptibly toward each other, Zach wondered if he should close his eyes. He didn’t want to, but he couldn’t stop himself, and his eyelids fluttered shut as they kissed, a chaste, dry brush of their lips, once, twice. Chris parted his lips, and Zach pulled back a little, swallowing hard.

“Wait,” he whispered.

“What?”

“I thought you liked Kirk,” he teased.

“Zach,” Chris whispered, and he wasn’t teasing, he was pleading, and it sent a shiver of unfamiliar desire down Zach’s spine. This time, the kiss was warm and wet as they pressed their open mouths together. A scrape of teeth and Zach tilted his head, there, that was better, and then they were thrusting their tongues wildly into each others’ mouths. Zach was afraid he might be drooling, so he pressed closer, sealing their lips together and Chris made a pleased sound in the back of his throat. They pulled apart, kissed again with closed lips, but it wasn’t enough, and they opened their mouths again. Zach was a little worried that he hadn’t breathed in a while, but he didn’t want to move, he wanted to do this, to explore Chris’s mouth forever.

Chris slid his hand down to clutch at the side of Zach’s t-shirt, and Zach was suddenly aware of the proximity of Chris’s arm to the erection tenting his sweatpants. He blinked dizzily, shifted his hips a little and pulled away. “Do you, uh,” he started to ask, stopped, started again. “Do you want to-“ he was pretty sure he couldn’t say it- “to touch me?” he finished in a faltering whisper.

He felt Chris go still, could actually hear him lick his lips as he processed what Zach had said. “Uh. I’ve never…I mean, I don’t know how…”

Zach wasn’t sure if it was bravery or desperation that was making him so bold, but he sat up a little in the darkness and continued. “Just…like you touch yourself,” he whispered, maneuvering himself to sit between Chris’s legs, leaning back against his chest. “God,” he said, pushing the elastic of his sweatpants down and wrapping a hand around his throbbing cock. “Oh god, shit-“ Something occurred to him and he twisted around to look at Chris. “You do touch yourself, right?” he asked seriously.

Chris chuckled nervously. “Um yeah. No duh.”

“Okay.” Zach leaned forward to kiss him, then twisted back around, pressing back against him, resting his head on Chris’s shoulder.

Chris shifted so he could look down the flat plane of Zach’s chest and stomach, wishing for a second that they’d taken their shirts off. He let his gaze wander further, to where Zach had shoved his sweatpants down, and finally he made himself look at Zach’s dick, hard and leaking onto his t-shirt. Chris ran a hand down Zach’s torso, stroked his fingers along Zach’s stomach, taking his time, putting off the moment…

Zach took Chris’s hand, gently, and moved it down over his cock, wrapping their fingers together around his length. He stroked once, then again, then he arched his back against Chris and moaned. Chris shook off Zach’s hand so he could do it himself, jerking Zach a little faster, a little harder, like he did to himself late at night.

Zach was twitching against him, groaning, mumbling “Fuck, feels so good, god, so much better, Chris, oh my god.”

Chris tipped his head forward, kissed Zach on his sweat-damp neck, licked at his neck and his ear. Zach said “faster,” and Chris complied and a few strokes later Zach made a strangled sound in the back of his throat and spurted hotly across his shirt. Chris squeezed at his shaft and the last drops of come slid down over his hand before he finally pulled away, wiping Zach’s jizz on the bedspread. Zach lay against him, catching his breath, then he turned around, smiled, and lunged for Chris, capturing his lips in a sloppy, grateful kiss.

When he pulled away, he glanced down at Chris’s crotch, reached out tentatively to press his palm against the line of Chris’s cock. Chris moaned, loudly, and Zach looked up at him in surprise.

“Sorry,” Chris panted. “Just…I’ve had a boner for like the past three hours and…yeah.”

Zach smiled up at him, shifting so he was between Chris’s legs on his stomach, propped on his elbows. He ran a finger along Chris’s waistband, then he slowly slid it down, exposing Chris’s swollen erection. Zach licked his lips and leaned down to touch his tongue to the smooth, hot skin.

“What – Zach – Jesus –“ Chris stammered. Zach licked at him wetly, dragging the surface of his tongue up and down the shaft. “God, Zach,” Chris said, unable to keep his lip from curling a little in disgust. “You _want_ to do that?”

Zach nodded intently and closed his lips around the head of Chris’s cock. Chris gasped above him as he sucked tentatively, tasting Chris on his tongue, salty and viscous. He tried to figure out what to do with his teeth, experimented with taking Chris a little farther into his mouth, wondered if he should do something else with his tongue. He sucked a little harder and Chris yelped, “Shit, Zach, get off, get off,” and Zach pulled away as Chris came, reaching down to jerk himself in quick, short strokes as his cock pulsed and streams of liquid splashed across his stomach.

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,” Chris was mumbling as he collapsed sideways across the pillows, his eyes squeezed shut.

Zach scooted over on his elbows. “Was that okay?”

“Oh my god, Zach,” Chris said, groping blindly for him, pulling him into a tangled hug and panting against his chest. “ _’Was that okay’_ , are you kidding me, that was….that was…”

“Gay?”

Chris laughed despite himself, but he’d finally recovered normal breathing patterns. “Well, yeah, but also…just, like…god, it just felt so good, like, like…like I don’t even know. Just, so good.” He opened his eyes to look at Zach. “Um. Did you…like that?”

Zach nodded fervently. “You should try it some time,” he said, smiling. Chris giggled and shifted into a more comfortable position. Zach thought he should probably get up, go back to his own bed. He didn’t want things to be weird, but it _was_ nice to have Chris’s arm around his waist and to hear the little sleepy sounds Chris was making, so he closed his eyes and stayed.

They woke up a few hours later, lying side by side, not touching. Chris raised his head sleepily to look at the clock. “Ugh,” he groaned. “5:30. Too early. Go back to sleep.” He grabbed for Zach’s arm and pulled it over himself like a blanket. Zach scooted closer and tried to close his eyes, but his heart was pounding, and it was a while before he could fall back asleep.

**

Chris was in the shower when he heard Zach knock on the bathroom door.

“What?” he yelled.

“Can I come in? I need to put my ears on.”

Chris thought it was probably weird to let your roommate come into the bathroom while you’re in the shower, but then again it was probably weird to jerk your roommate off and then sleep in the same bed with him, so why not.

“Okay.”

Zach was still in there when he finished rinsing off. “Um. Can you hand me a towel?”

Zach handed him a towel over the top of the shower, and he wrapped it tightly around his waist before he stepped out. Zach was looking intently in the mirror, and Chris watched as he smoothed down the edges of the prosthetic ear. He caught Chris’s eye in the mirror as he finished. “What do you think?”

He saw Chris take a step toward him, and he turned, and then Chris’s mouth was pressed against his. Zach remembered to tilt his head just in time, as they parted their lips and slammed their tongues frantically together. Their soft moans mingled with the wet smacking sounds of the uncoordinated kiss, and they careened around the bathroom until Chris was pressed back against the counter.

“Zach,” Chris panted, pulling away. “We have to…the panel…oh _fuck_ ,” he said, as Zach wrapped a fist around his achingly hard cock, stroking him roughly. “Do you want me to,” he started, but then Zach was pushing his own pants down and he let go of Chris to pump at his own dick. Chris felt the edge of the counter digging into his back, but he ignored it and reached down to grab himself, his eyes never leaving Zach’s fist as it flew over his length. Zach was watching as well, stepping closer so their fists were side by side, the head of his cock almost pressed against Chris’s stomach. They were both panting now, grunting softly, blinking sweat out of their eyes. Chris got there first, jerking his hips and whimpering as he came against Zach’s skin. Zach felt the hot spurt across his stomach and he latched his lips onto Chris’s neck to muffle his shout as his climax overtook him. They sagged against the counter for a few minutes, recovering, then stood awkwardly in the middle of the bathroom, refusing to meet each others’ eyes. Finally, Chris let his eyes travel up Zach’s chest.

“Shit.”

“What?”

“Your ear got bent,” he said, reaching out to poke at the slightly creased tip.

Zach bit his lip and stared at Chris’s neck. “Um. I think I gave you a hickey.”

Chris’s eyes widened and he turned around to look in the mirror. A purplish bruise had formed where Zach had sucked at his neck in the heat of the moment. “Shit.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Um. Do you think we’ll still make it to the workshops?” he asked.

Zach swallowed, shrugged. “I kinda don’t care right now,” he confessed. “I’d be fine with staying here and doing…that…all day.”

Chris blushed, too, and smiled, but he shook his head. “No way. You have to show off your Vulcan language skills. And we _have_ to see Nimoy.”

Zach nodded. “Okay. You’re right.” He caught a glimpse of Chris’s tunic hanging over the towel rack, still dripping from the night before. “Um. What are you going to wear?”

**

Chris had come prepared with another gold shirt, just in case. “I didn’t make this one,” he said sadly, “it’s just a Halloween costume, but I’ll have to make do.”

Zach gave him an appraising look. “You still look like him,” he confirmed.

Chris blushed again as he followed Zach out of the room.

**

Back at the convention, they remembered why they were there in the first place and tried to fit in everything they hadn’t gotten to the day before. In between panels and autographs, Zach finished his trades and Chris spent his allowance on comics and Kirk-related paraphernalia as they sucked down Cokes to make up for their lack of sleep the previous night. When they finally had a moment to relax, they flopped down on a bench in the convention hall and set their bags down on the floor.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, until Zach glanced down in surprise as Chris put a hand on his thigh.

Chris looked at him shyly, questioning, and Zach gave him a smile and set his hand down on top of Chris’s. He glanced around to see if anyone was looking at them. No one was, but there was a group of women standing in a nearby corner, giggling as they pored over what looked like hand-drawn pictures. Zach had a sudden realization and he turned to Chris with a mischievous grin. “Hey, Chris.”

“What?”

“Have you ever heard of fanfiction?”

“What, like where people write about Star Trek characters but they make up their own stories?”

Zach nodded. “Uh huh. Yeah. But did you know that a bunch of those stories involve Kirk and Spock fucking and stuff?”

Chris’s eyes widened in surprise. “What?! Ew! I mean…” he trailed off as he actually considered it, looked down at Zach’s hand on his, and blushed.

Zach leaned toward him with a conspiratorial whisper. “I have an idea.”

**

“Wow,” Chris said, as they took the elevator back up to their hotel room. “I can’t believe that just happened.”

“I know,” Zach laughed. “Those ladies were waaaaay to excited to watch us kiss. And to take pictures.”

Chris shook his head. “No, I mean…well, yeah, but I mean, I can’t believe I did that.”

Zach cocked his head. “What?”

“Kissed you. In front of people. I think my life may have changed a little this weekend.”

“Yeah,” Zach chuckled in agreement. “I know what you mean.”

When they got back to the room, Chris changed out of his gold shirt while Zach went into the bathroom to take his ears off for the final time. He came out and sat cross legged on the bed beside Chris. “You hungry?”

Chris shrugged, then nodded. “But…do you want to get room service again?” he asked hopefully.

“Yeah, okay.” Zach said, but he didn’t make a move to grab the menu. He sat quietly for a few seconds, picking at the bedspread. “So…what time is your aunt picking you up tomorrow?” he asked softly.

“Nine.”

“Damn.” Zach felt his stomach clenching up, his mouth turning down at the corners. Altogether an unpleasant feeling, he decided. He sucked in a breath. “So, I wanted to ask you something…” He waited for Chris’s reassurance.

“Okay…”

“Would you want to, like, be my boyfriend?” Zach asked, and it took every bit of his willpower to make himself look up to meet Chris’s eyes.

Chris laughed in surprise. “You can’t be serious.”

Zach’s face fell.

“I mean, yeah, but,” Chris was still laughing, nervously now, “God, my mom would _kill_ me!”

“It’s okay,” Zach said quickly. “You know what, don’t worry about it.”

“No, no, I mean, Zach, look. Look at me,” he said, gripping Zach’s chin and tilting his head up to look at him. “Zach, I…shit, it would be awesome to be your boyfriend. Like, really awesome. I just, you know-“ he said, squinting in thought. “I’m in high school still, and it’s not like I could just go on dates with you and stuff. And you don’t live anywhere near me!”

“I know,” Zach said defiantly, pulling away. He looked down, picking at his cuticles. “Just, maybe we could be, like, internet boyfriends? And I could call you sometimes. And didn’t you say you thought your parents would let you go to the convention in San Diego?”

“Yeah…” Chris said slowly.

“I just mean, like, if someone asked me if I had a boyfriend, I could tell them yeah, you know?”

Chris swallowed and tried to hold back the grin that was unexpectedly taking over his face. He nodded. “Yeah, okay. Yeah. I’d like that.”

Zach smiled shyly and slid across the bed toward Chris. They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed for a little while, less desperate now, but with a tinge of sadness.

“I’m gonna miss you,” Chris said, his voice muffled against Zach’s shoulder.

“Yeah, me too.”

“I wish we could stay here another day.”

“Yeah.” Zach rubbed his hand across Chris’s back as an unexpected ache settled in his chest.

“You know what we could do though?” Chris asked. He looked at Zach, blue eyes twinkling.

“What’s that?”

Chris leaned forward to touch his lips to Zach’s in a gentle kiss. “We could try to stay up all night,” he said. He reached up to play with the hair at the back of Zach’s neck. “What do you say to that?”

“I say-“ Zach pressed another kiss against Chris’s lips “-make it so.”


	2. Trekkies in Love, CONtinued

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LtCmdrZach and jtk1980 meet again.

**LtCmdrZach** has entered the room.  
 **jtk1980:** \\\//  
 **LtCmdrZach:** *salutes*  
 **resistanceisfeudal:** \\\//  
 **resistanceisfeudal:** where've you been ltcmdr?  
 **LtCmdrZach:** taking a final  
 **jtk1980:** your done?  
 **LtCmdrZach:** yep  
 **tashalives:** we were just talking about you  
 **LtCmdrZach:** ?  
 **tashalives:** jtk said you're going to san diego con  
 **LtCmdrZach:** affirmative  
 **tashalives:** i'll see you guys there  
 **tashalives:** do you know what hotel your staying at yet?  
 **jtk1980:** no  
 **jtk1980:** i gotta go ll &p  
 **jtk1980** has left the room  
 **LtCmdrZach** has left the room  
 **resistanceisfeudal:** ha ha  
 **resistanceisfeudal:** they always do that

 **AOL Instant Messenger  
Private message from jtk1980**

 **jtk1980** : hi  
 **LtCmdrZach** : hi  
 **jtk1980** : god that tasha chick would not shut up  
 **jtk1980** : she kept talking about meeting up at the con  
 **LtCmdrZach** : you flirt back?  
 **jtk1980** : ew, no!!!!  
 **jtk1980** : theres only one person i want to meet up with ;-)  
 **LtCmdrZach** : and by "meet up", you mean...?  
 **jtk1980** : you know  
 **LtCmdrZach** : tell me  
 **jtk1980** : i think you can guess  
 **LtCmdrZach** : tell me anyway  
 **jtk1980** : you know. what we talked about the other night.  
 **LtCmdrZach** : i forget  
 **jtk1980** : no you dont  
 **LtCmdrZach** : tasha seems nice  
 **jtk1980** : i hate you  
 **LtCmdrZach** : no you don't ;-)  
 **jtk1980** : how was your test?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : stop trying to change the subject  
 **LtCmdrZach** : i want to talk about "meeting up" with you  
 **LtCmdrZach** : i was thinking about you all day  
 **LtCmdrZach** : i got a boner while i was taking my final  
 **jtk1980** : ouch  
 **LtCmdrZach** : yeah  
 **LtCmdrZach** : wish you were here to take care of it  
 **jtk1980** : me too  
 **LtCmdrZach** : really?  
 **jtk1980** : yeah  
 **jtk1980** : 'course  
 **LtCmdrZach** : what would you do?  
 **jtk1980** : um...  
 **jtk1980** : you know  
 **LtCmdrZach** : tell me  
 **jtk1980** : just think about the last night at the con, thats what i would do  
 **LtCmdrZach** : thats what i thought about last night while i was jacking off  
 **jtk1980** : thats hot  
 **LtCmdrZach** : what about you?  
 **jtk1980** : what?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : what did you think about?  
 **jtk1980** : you know  
 **jtk1980** : you  
 **LtCmdrZach** : doing what?  
 **jtk1980** : i'm not typing it  
 **LtCmdrZach** : come on!  
 **LtCmdrZach** : my hand or my mouth  
 **jtk1980** : um...yes  
 **LtCmdrZach** : at the same time?  
 **jtk1980** : no  
 **jtk1980** : but  
 **jtk1980** : that would probably be awesome  
 **LtCmdrZach** : yeah  
 **LtCmdrZach** : wanna know something else i think about?  
 **jtk1980** : yeah  
 **jtk1980** : ...you gonna tell me?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : yeah  
 **jtk1980** : k  
 **LtCmdrZach** : you know how you're always licking your lips  
 **jtk1980** : ?  
 **jtk1980** : i don't do it that much  
 **LtCmdrZach** : yeah you do  
 **jtk1980** : ok  
 **LtCmdrZach** : i like thinking about you licking me  
 **LtCmdrZach** : gonna ask where?  
 **jtk1980** : i know where  
 **LtCmdrZach** : where then?  
 **jtk1980** : on ur cock  
 **LtCmdrZach** : yeah  
 **LtCmdrZach** : like licking all around the head  
 **LtCmdrZach** : all slobbery and shit  
 **LtCmdrZach** : just like holding it and rubbing your tongue all over it  
 **LtCmdrZach** : would you do that?  
 **jtk1980** : yeah  
 **LtCmdrZach** : yeah? not too gross?  
 **jtk1980** : no i want to try it  
 **LtCmdrZach** : :-)  
 **jtk1980** : keep going  
 **LtCmdrZach** : can i call you?  
 **jtk1980** : no, parents sleeping  
 **LtCmdrZach** : damn  
 **jtk1980** : keep telling me  
 **LtCmdrZach** : ok  
 **LtCmdrZach** : then you would suck me  
 **LtCmdrZach** : i bet it would feel so good  
 **LtCmdrZach** : how far could you take it in?  
 **jtk1980** : far  
 **jtk1980** : i have a big mouth ;-)  
 **LtCmdrZach** : lol  
 **jtk1980** : i would suck you so hard  
 **LtCmdrZach** : god  
 **LtCmdrZach** : i'm so hard right now  
 **jtk1980** : me too  
 **jtk1980** : is your roommate there?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : no  
 **jtk1980** : u should stroke it  
 **LtCmdrZach** : k  
 **jtk1980** : doin it?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : yed  
 **LtCmdrZach** : yes  
 **LtCmdrZach** : u?  
 **jtk1980** : yeah  
 **jtk1980** : fuck  
 **jtk1980** : wsh it was ur mouth  
 **LtCmdrZach** : ani;ct  
 **LtCmdrZach** : fuck  
 **jtk1980** : u cum?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : yeah. i smacked the keyboard  
 **LtCmdrZach** : u?  
 **jtk1980** : yeah  
 **jtk1980** : kinda dizzy now  
 **LtCmdrZach** : i have that effect on you  
 **jtk1980** : lol yeah  
 **jtk1980** : brb  
 **jtk1980** : k, back  
 **jtk1980** : had to change  
 **LtCmdrZach** : what are you wearin? ;-)  
 **jtk1980** : pajamas  
 **LtCmdrZach** : cute  
 **LtCmdrZach** : beddy time for captain?  
 **jtk1980** : no  
 **jtk1980** : can you talk more?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : sure  
 **LtCmdrZach** : hows my uniform coming?  
 **jtk1980** : okay  
 **jtk1980** : you have really long legs  
 **LtCmdrZach** : lol  
 **jtk1980** : also i did the stitching too wide the first time  
 **jtk1980** : but i fixed it  
 **LtCmdrZach** : i'm sure it will be awesome  
 **jtk1980** : yeah  
 **jtk1980** : your gonna look good  
 **LtCmdrZach** : aw shucks  
 **jtk1980** : 10 days  
 **LtCmdrZach** : yeah  
 **LtCmdrZach** : so excited  
 **jtk1980** : me too  
 **jtk1980** : miss you  
 **LtCmdrZach** : me too  
 **jtk1980** : ummmmm  
 **jtk1980** : now i feel like i should go cause i just said i miss you  
 **LtCmdrZach** : don't go yet  
 **LtCmdrZach** : you can say it again at the end  
 **jtk1980** : k :-)  
 **LtCmdrZach** : so remember how we were talking about voyager the other day?  
 **jtk1980** : oh god not this again  
 **jtk1980** : i already told you why your idea wouldn't work  
 **LtCmdrZach** : no listen  
 **LtCmdrZach** : i thought of some more theories

**

Zach took a few deep breaths to calm himself, but his hands were still shaking as he pushed through the revolving door into the hotel lobby. The San Diego convention was a popular one, and the lobby was swarming with eager visitors, many already in costume. Zach was easing his way past a group of Klingons when he spotted Chris at the reception desk, and he just barely managed to avoid a collision with a particularly burly female. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and everything around him seemed to blur as he maneuvered through the crowd. He was practically running by the time Chris took the key from the hotel clerk and turned, spotting him and breaking out into a giant grin. Zach knew he had a similar expression on his face, but he caught the warning look in Chris’s eyes and skidded to a halt before he could throw himself into Chris’s arms.

“Hey,” he said, suddenly shy.

“Hey.”

“Oh my god!” said an enthusiastic voice beside them. “Are you Lieutenant Commander Zach?!”

Zach saw Chris roll his eyes just as they turned to face the speaker, a short girl with a pixie cut and glasses. “Um. Yes?” Zach said, confused.

“Zach, this is tashalives,” Chris said, introducing them, and Zach could tell it was taking every ounce of his restraint to be polite.

“You can call me Tasha,” she said, flashing him a smile and the Vulcan salute.

“Great,” Zach muttered, pasting on a tolerant smile and trying not to go fucking ballistic on this chick who was totally ruining his long awaited reunion with Chris.

“Okay, well, Zach and I have to go get our room and stuff, so I guess we’ll see you later,” Chris said, grabbing Zach by the sleeve and yanking him toward the elevators.

“Oh yeah, me too. What floor are you guys on?!” Tasha chirped as she followed them.

Zach crossed his fingers as Chris responded. “Um. Fifteenth floor.”

“Oh, bummer. I’m on the seventeenth.”

Zach breathed a sigh of relief, which was immediately supplanted by annoyance as Tasha stepped into the elevator with them. The doors closed, and Zach subtly shifted his bag, hoping Tasha wouldn’t notice the stiffy he’d been sporting ever since he’d first caught sight of Chris. He glanced around the elevator, only allowing himself tiny glimpses of Chris, his hair, his shoulder, his – okay, apparently Zach wasn’t the only one who was excited to be here. He pressed his bag a little tighter over his crotch.

The elevator ride seemed to last forever. At one point, Zach wondered if the laws of space and time were actually fucking with him just to make him wait a little longer. Finally, the doors opened on the fifteenth floor, and he pushed past Tasha into the hall. He could feel Chris close behind him as the doors slid shut on Tasha’s eager “See you guys later!”

Zach turned to give Chris an exasperated look, but Chris was already speed-walking down the hall, key in hand, and Zach caught up to him just as he finished fumbling with the lock and got the door open. Chris took two steps inside, dropped his bag, and turned around as Zach shut the door behind them. They looked at each other, hesitating for only a second before they slammed together in a crushing embrace.

Zach buried his face in Chris’s neck, clutching at him and smiling as he felt Chris’s arms wrap tightly around his ribs.

“Been waiting for this for so long,” Zach mumbled into Chris’s neck.

He felt Chris’s warm breath as he laughed softly. “It’s only been three months.”

“Shut up,” Zach said, squeezing him tighter. “Don’t act like you’re not excited. I can totally feel your boner digging into my leg.”

“I missed you.”

“Missed you, too,” Zach breathed, and they pulled back just enough to kiss. It was weird at first, Zach was all tongue and Chris had his lips closed, but after a few seconds of fumbling they figured it out, slotting their mouths together for a long, desperate kiss.

Zach’s hand came up to tangle in the back of Chris’s hair. He felt the need to hold him closer, to steady him. He broke the kiss long enough to say, “You’re shaking.”

Chris blushed and buried his face in Zach’s shoulder. “I couldn’t sleep last night,” he confessed. “I was too excited. Then I drank like 20 Cokes this morning to stay awake.”

Zach chuckled into his hair. “Ah.”

“Do you, uh…do you want to see your uniform?”

“No.”

“No? Why not- oh.” He stopped talking, swallowed hard as he felt Zach’s hand press between them to work at his fly and nudge him farther into the room. He let Zach push him slowly back until his knees hit the edge of the bed, then he sat down with a grunt, licking his lips as he watched Zach finish with his zipper and maneuver him out of his pants and boxers. Then Zach was on his knees looking up at him, and it was all Chris could do to hold himself upright, leaning back on his hands as Zach reached his tongue out to lick at the tip of Chris’s cock.

“Fuck, Zach, fuck fuck fuck,” Chris chanted, and Zach grinned, licked his lips, and took Chris into his mouth. The hot slide of Zach’s lips around his dick was almost more than Chris could handle, and he fought to keep from closing his eyes at the sensation so he could watch Zach, so fucking sexy between his legs. Chris groaned when Zach pulled away abruptly to look at him, a serious expression in his dark brown eyes.

“Come in my mouth, okay?”

“What?!”

Zach smiled shyly up at him. “I want to try it,” and then his mouth was surrounding him again and the only sound Chris could manage was an unintelligible “buh”, which he hoped Zach knew meant that he could do whatever the hell he wanted.

Zach sucked a little harder and moaned around him, then brought a hand up to grip the base of Chris’s cock, stroking him a little in tandem with his bobbing head. Chris felt his entire body shudder, and he suddenly realized that maybe his idea of not jerking off for a week before he saw Zach had not been the smartest plan ever. He reached a hand out to kind of pet Zach’s hair and ended up clenching a fistful of it as the warm, wet heat of Zach’s mouth suctioned harder around the tip of his cock, Zach’s hand stroking a little faster over his shaft. Chris sucked in a gasping breath, his hips bucked involuntarily, and he was coming, watching with eyes wide as Zach sucked and swallowed around his cock. His fingers were still gripping Zach’s hair, and he let go just in time for Zach to pull off, coughing, a little jizz sliding between his lips as he fought to catch his breath. Zach was still digging his fingers into Chris’s thighs, and he closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against Chris’s stomach, shaking. Finally, he let go, looked up at Chris with amazement written across his face, and pulled himself up to flop down on the bed. Chris fell back onto the mattress, and they lay next to each other in silence for a few minutes, chests heaving as they breathed deeply.

Zach rolled over onto his back, and Chris turned toward him, sleepily reaching a hand down to cup his bulge. He was surprised when Zach gave a grunt of annoyance and slapped his hand away.

“What?”

“I already…fuck, I fucking came in my pants, man. Jesus. I’m thinking maybe my idea about not jerking off for the past week wasn’t such a good plan after all.”

Chris chuckled and Zach scowled at him. “No, I just…I did the same thing.” He reached up and brushed his thumb against the wetness glistening on Zach’s chin. “Sorry.”

“S’okay,” Zach mumbled. “So worth it.”

“Yeah. So you really get off on just doing…that?”

Zach raised an eyebrow at him. “Apparently.”

“You, uh…you were really good,” Chris said. “You been practicing?”

Zach raised both eyebrows this time. “What would I be practicing on?”

“I don’t know.” Chris shrugged. “Popsicles? Other guys?”

“Pshh, yeah, right,” Zach said. “As if any other guy would look twice at me.” Chris twitched a little and looked away. “Not that I would want to do that with any other guy.” He put a hand on Chris’s arm. “Come on. You know I wouldn’t.”

Chris shrugged again. “I don’t know. I mean, you’re in college, aren’t you supposed to be, like, partying every night and getting laid and stuff?”

Zach rolled his eyes. “Obviously you’ve mistaken me for someone who _doesn’t_ have a collection of Star Trek action figures displayed all over his dorm room. Besides, when am I supposed to be doing this supposed partying when I’m on IM with you every night, huh?” he asked gently, nudging Chris again.

“Sorry,” Chris muttered.

“Chris, jeez, that’s not what I meant.” He leaned over to give Chris a clumsy kiss on the cheek. “Come on,” he said, when Chris pulled away. He held Chris gently by the shoulders and sat up to straddle him, undeterred by the fact that Chris still wouldn’t look at him. “Hey, come on, look at me,” Zach said, laughing now and dropping his weight onto Chris.

Finally, Chris looked up at him, letting a small smile cross his face. “Swear you haven’t done anything with other guys.”

“Chris, I swear.” Zach pressed his crotch gently against Chris’s and Chris ran his hands up Zach’s thighs. “You ready to go again,” Zach asked, his voice low.

Chris laughed and shook his head, but the way Zach was looking at him was making him wish he was. He shifted a little and smiled. “Give me ten minutes.”

**

“Holy shit, Chris. Holy shit.” Zach was standing in front of the full length mirror, where he’d been staring at himself and saying “holy shit” for the past ten minutes. Chris leaned against the bathroom door and smiled. “So you like it?”

Zach turned to him, an expression of awe and disbelief written across his features. “Holy shit. This is amazing, Chris. There’s…” He turned back to the mirror, looked himself up and down. He honestly hadn’t thought Chris could do it. Not that he had doubts about Chris’s skill, but the Starfleet uniforms from _Wrath of Khan_ were notoriously difficult to recreate and…he turned back to Chris. “There’s honestly not a single detail missing. I just…I…thank you,” he finished.

Chris beamed. He was pretty proud of himself, to be honest. He’d been pretty sure he could figure out the uniforms, that he could get the details right – even if it took almost ruining the tape of the movie from pausing and fast-forwarding so much – but he hadn’t been sure how it would look when Zach actually tried it on. And now Zach was here, and he was wearing it, and it looked _awesome_.

And oh! He hadn’t even shown Zach the best part. He reached up to unfasten the top button of his own uniform and pulled down the flap to reveal a bright splatter of blood (actually red paint) across the white fabric, just like the one from Kirk’s costume in the movie. Zach’s jaw dropped and he took a step forward to get a closer look. “Holy shit!” He met Chris’s eye. “You really got everything!”

Chris grinned. “I heard you have an eye for detail.”

“Chris, I… you should do this for a living, I’m not even joking. I would pay, like, $500 for this!”

“Speaking of $500, Lieutenant-Commander,” Chris said, turning to grab his phaser from the bureau and tuck it into his belt, “You gonna put your ears on, or what?”

“Right, right,” Zach muttered, taking one last look at himself in the full-length mirror before he headed into the bathroom. Chris hopped up on the counter and watched as Zach glued his ears into place. “You know, it would be more authentic if you had the bowl cut.”

Zach rolled his eyes. “Shut up. I had that haircut for, like, ten years of my life. I _finally_ got rid of it when I went to college, and there’s no way I’m going back. Even for the sake of authenticity.”

Chris threw his head back and laughed. “You _actually_ had that haircut. Oh god,” he said, gasping. “I would have loved to see that.”

Zach raised an eyebrow at him in the mirror and smiled.

While he waited for his ears to dry into place, he headed back into the room and pulled his duffel onto the bed. Chris crossed his arms impatiently. “Come on, aren’t you done? Let’s go!”

“Hold your horses,” Zach said, pulling a binder out of his bag. “Come here.”

“What?” Chris took a seat on the bed next to Zach as he opened the binder. It was a photo album, and the first few pages were full of badges, brochures, and ticket stubs from the numerous conventions Zach had attended. But he skipped those and turned to a different page, featuring a Polaroid of a young Vulcan, complete with a bowl cut and oversized plastic ears. Chris squinted and looked closer. “Is that…oh shit, is that YOU?!” he asked, putting a hand over his mouth. He looked at Zach, then back at the picture, then back again and Zach could see the laughter dancing in his eyes.

“Yes, it’s me,” Zach said, blushing. “I was fourteen, okay? My brother made me dress up like that.”

“Oh yeah?” Chris asked, leaning closer. “Did he make you…oh my god, did he make you _shave your eyebrows_?!”

Zach blushed harder. “Um. That may have been my idea, actually.”

Chris cackled and fell back on the bed, clutching his stomach in laughter. “Oh god, Zach, that is…you were so cute, but I mean…Jesus, and I thought _I_ was a geek!”

“Shut up!” Zach said, slamming the album shut and shoving it in his bag. “I knew I shouldn’t have shown you,” he grumbled.

“No! No, Zach, I _had_ to see that, you know I did.” He looked at Zach, biting his lip to hold any more laughter back. “So…can I pluck your eyebrows?”

“What? Fuck no!”

“Oh, come _on_! It’s not fair that you did it before I even knew you!”

“No way,” Zach said, getting up and heading for the door. “Come on, let’s get out of here before you get any more ideas.”

“Okay, just hold on a sec,” Chris said, stepping into the bathroom. He came out a second later, brandishing something – tweezers, Zach noticed, just before Chris lunged at him, trying to grab his shoulder as he thrust the tweezers perilously close to Zach’s face.

“Argh, get _away_ from me with those, Chris, I’m serious!” Zach said, but he was laughing, pressing their bodies together and twisting Chris’s wrist away until he dropped the tweezers.

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry,” Chris said, but the laughter was bubbling up again, and Zach pressed their lips together to stop himself from smiling too hard into those twinkling blue eyes.

**

“Wow, I thought we’d never make it down here,” Chris said, as they finally stepped onto the floor of the convention center, heads held high as they watched a few passersby take in their costumes with a smile.

“Yeah, well, it was a valid concern, given that it’s –“ Zach checked his watch “Four o’clock.”

Chris giggled. “Oh shit. So, we probably missed, um…everything.”

Zach gave him a look that made his blood run hot and said in a low voice, “Worth it.”

Chris nodded, and it took everything he had to make himself look away and head out onto the floor.

They hadn’t missed everything, it turned out. The _Voyager_ panel was still to come, and they had half an hour to peruse the vendors before they needed to get in line.

Chris was standing at one of the tables, immersed in a Star Trek comic book, when a shadow fell over him. He glanced up and jumped about a foot in the air as a menacing-looking Borg stared him down.

“Jesus Christ, warn a guy, will you!” Chris exclaimed, pressing a hand to his chest to calm his racing heart. He gave the guy a once over. “Nice costume, dude. I’m impressed.”

Truth be told, he was also still a little intimidated. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that Jim Kirk had never actually encountered the Borg, and wondered if it would look bad if he took a few steps back. Then the Borg broke into a wide grin and stuck out his hand, breaking the spell.

“Hey jtk1980!” he said cheerfully. “Didn’t recognize me, did ya?”

“Um. No?”

“It’s me, resistanceisfeudal! We met a few months ago in Chicago, remember?”

“Oh. Right. Yeah. Hi.”

“Your uniform rocks. You make it?”

“Yeah,” Chris said. He spotted Zach striding across the floor and waved frantically at him.

“Hey, Chris,” Zach said with a smile as he approached. He turned to check out Chris’s new friend. “Hey, um. Borg.”

His greeting was returned with another un-Borg-like smile. “Lieutenant Commander! Nice to see you again! Remember me? resistanceisfeudal?”

“Oh. Right. Cool costume.”

“Yeah, you too! Hey, so I’m having a party tonight in my room, and it would be awesome if you guys would come! There’s going to be booze and stuff. Don’t tell too many people though. I only want cool people there.”

“Oh, uh…yeah, well, we’re probably going to just stay in,” Chris started to say, before Zach interrupted.

“Actually, you know what? Maybe we will stop by,” he said, and Chris turned to him with an expression of disbelief.

“We will?”

“Yeah, you know, it might be fun…”

Chris stared at Zach, unable to wipe the skeptical look from his face until Zach grabbed his shoulder and gave him a little shake.

“So,” Zach said, turning back to the Borg, “you heading to the _Voyager_ panel?”

“Hell , yeah. It’s babe-watchin’ time!”

Chris raised an eyebrow. “Janeway’s a babe?”

“What? No, dude. Seven of Nine, hel-LO? What, don't tell me you guys wouldn't totally put her in your spank bank."

Chris was opening and closing his mouth as Zach said, “Yeah, she’s pretty hot.” Chris’s eyebrows climbed higher on his forehead.

“Oooh, I hope she’ll be wearing that jumpsuit….”

“Um, I don’t think they wear their _costumes_ ,” Chris said contemptuously, wondering when reality was going to step in and take away this babe-watching, partying mirror-Zach who was standing next to him. He was hit by the horrifying fear that maybe this _was_ reality, a fear which increased tenfold as Zach tugged him by the arm toward the line.

“Zach!” he hissed. “What the fuck?”

“What?”

“You want to go to parties now?! You want to put Seven of Nine in your…spank bank?!” He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, muttering, “I knew we shouldn’t have let Scotty beam us up during an ion storm.”

“Dork,” Zach said fondly. “And, I don’t want to to put her in my _spank bank_ , okay? I’m just capable of appreciating the female form, that’s all.”

“Okay, and what about the party?”

“What about it?”

Chris stepped closer and spoke through gritted teeth. “I just thought we had… _other_ plans…remember? There was something I was planning to _do_ tonight…?”

“I know,” Zach said, putting his hand on Chris’s shoulder. He leaned in to whisper in Chris’s ear. “Just, I know you’re kinda nervous about it, so I thought, maybe you could have a drink or two before, to loosen up.”

Chris frowned. Zach was right, he _was_ nervous, but… “I’ve never even drank before, Zach.”

“Yeah, I know. But, like, this way I’ll be there for your first time. And I can, like, help you out and stuff. Come on. I think it’ll be cool. But if you don’t want to, just tell me, and we won’t go, okay?”

Chris nodded. “Okay. I think…I think maybe I want to go.”

**

Chris was prepared this time, so he didn’t so much as flinch when the door to room 1245 opened to reveal a Borg clutching a red plastic cup and grinning.

“Dude, you guys came! Awesome!” He assumed a more serious expression. “Lieutenant Commander, Captain,” he added respectfully.

“Oh my god, it’s Zach and Chris!” said an enthusiastic female voice from across the room.

“Oh no, no way,” Chris said, shaking his head and turning around in the doorway. Zach grabbed his arm and yanked him back before he could make his retreat into the hall.

“Hi guys!” Tasha said, stepping closer. “I was looking for you downstairs, where were you guys all day?! Did you guys see the Brent Spiner panel, I got my picture taken with him, he said he liked my shirt, did you guys see Wil Wheaton, he’s not even on the schedule but I heard he’s gonna be here, oh my god did Jeff tell you that he got interviewed by Denise Crosby-”

Chris’s eyes got wider as he listened to her talk. Didn’t she need to fucking breathe or something? “Jesus, how many Cokes have you _had_?” he asked just before Zach dragged him away.

“Be nice, Chris,” he said, barely containing his amusement.

“Zach.” Chris sounded pained.

“Yeah?”

“What’s up with girls?”

Zach laughed. “I don’t know, Chris. I’m not sure anyone does. Now, come on. Let’s find you a drink.”

  
“What do you want?” Zach asked, as they checked out the impromptu bar on the dresser.

“Um. What are you having?”

Zach surveyed the offerings. “I guess I’m going to have a cranberry and vodka.” He glanced at Chris. “But you probably shouldn’t start out with hard liquor.” He pulled open the door of the mini-fridge. “Oooh, here! This is perfect.”

He handed Chris a bottle of something red, and Chris examined it skeptically. “Bartles and Jaymes?”

“It’s a wine cooler. Trust me, you’ll like it.”

He watched closely as Chris unscrewed the cap, closed his eyes, and took a tentative sip. “Mmm!” said Chris, his eyes shooting open in surprise. “It’s good! It tastes like fruit punch!”

Zach grinned. “Cool. So just have a couple of those and you’ll feel totally awesome and, like…ready for anything.” He winked at Chris, who blushed the color of his Bartles and Jaymes as he took another sip.

**

“So, what do you think?”

Chris blinked a few times and shrugged. “It feels okay, I guess.”

“Do you want another one?”

“I don’t know if I should…I mean, I don’t want to get _drunk_.”

“Okay, well…do you want to feel…more like you feel now?”

“Yeah, okay.”

“Awesome.” Zach got up to grab another wine cooler for Chris and pour another cranberry and vodka for himself. The room was dimly lit, and the few people scattered on chairs and the floor were focused on the TV as resistanceisfeudal (or Jeff, as they learned after refusing to call him Five of Eight) put another tape of _Voyager_ in the VCR. Zach sat down on the bed next to Chris and took a sip of his drink. “Ugh,” he said, shuddering. “I think I made this one a little strong.” Chris took a swallow of his – pina colada flavored this time - and scooted a little closer to Zach.

Ten minutes later, he was trying to scoot _away_ , as Zach was practically climbing into his lap to whisper inappropriate things about Tom Paris in his ear.

“Zach, quit it,” Chris muttered, sliding toward the edge of the bed and glancing around to make sure no one was watching. “Maybe we should go back to the room?”

“ _Fuck_ yeah,” Zach said, stumbling as he followed Chris off the bed. He swayed a little as he stood, and Chris gripped his arm to hold him steady. A few people glanced over and Zach giggled. “I gotta go, you guys,” he slurred, “’cause I gotta get a blmmmmffff.” Chris had slapped a hand over his mouth - he was pretty sure he knew what Zach had been planning to say.

Chris felt a little dizzy himself – was this what being drunk felt like? Or was this just tipsy? Or maybe he was buzzed. He shook his head a little and smiled reassuringly at the others.

“Yeah, I’m gonna go, too…to make sure he gets back okay,” he told them, and he gave Zach a little tug toward the door.

They stepped out into the hallway, and Jeff chuckled, turning to Tasha as the door closed. “They always do that.”

**

It was all Chris could do to keep Zach’s hands off of him as they made their way down the hall and into the elevator, and after that he pretty much stopped caring. Zach pressed him up against the wall inside the elevator, kissing him sloppily, whispering, “So fucking horny, Chris, god, I can’t wait to get back to the room,” and grinding his erection into Chris’s leg as if to prove it. Chris fumbled at the lock on their door, distracted by Zach’s hands around his waist, pawing at his fly, and it took five tries before the green light lit up and the door swung open.

They pulled their costumes off as they stumbled toward the bed, and Chris pushed Zach down on his back to straddle him, kissing him on the mouth until Zach made an impatient sound and gave his shoulders a shove. Then he scrambled down, kissing Zach on his chest and stomach, and before he even realized it, his mouth was inches from Zach’s cock. He licked his lips, rocking on his hands and knees as he steeled himself. It wasn’t like he hadn’t pictured this, thought about it a hundred times, the way he’d lick all over Zach’s dick like it was a popsicle (he’d been eating a lot of popsicles, lately) and the way he’d take it into his mouth and suck him hard, all slick with no teeth or anything. But this was different than he’d imagined, it looked huge and weird and there was this musky smell, and Zach was writhing around making breathy pleading noises, and his own cock was throbbing in his boxers.

Then Zach said “Chris, come _on_ ,” so he closed his eyes and went for it, licking quickly up Zach’s shaft and back down it, then along the side and, yeah, okay, that wasn’t too bad. He’d been worried about the taste, had tried to see what it was like, licking the palm of his hand after touching himself, but that had just tasted like hand, so he still hadn’t really known what to expect. And it was a little salty, but mostly just tasted like skin, and he licked up across the head and Zach exhaled sharply, saying “Jesus, fuck _yes_ ” so Chris kept going, tonguing him a little harder and wetter across the tip to the sound of Zach’s moans, a soft “uh-uh-uh” falling from his lips. Finally, Chris opened his mouth and let the head slide between his lips, sucked cautiously, and freaked out as he felt his teeth graze skin. Shit! This was way harder than he’d thought it would be, so he backed off, licked his lips, and tried again.

Better this time, weird still, but he knew how awesome it felt when Zach did it, so he opened his mouth a little wider, let Zach’s cock slide over his tongue and into the back of his mouth, almost to his throat. He gave an experimental suck, listening for Zach’s reaction, and…nothing. Zach had gone completely still beneath him, he realized, no longer twitching and moaning, and crap, he was probably sucking at this, and not in the good way. He slid his mouth slowly off Zach’s cock and looked up the bed, expecting to see him looking pissed or bored or…or completely passed out, with his eyes closed and his mouth hanging open.

“You’re fucking kidding me,” Chris muttered, scrambling up the bed. He gripped Zach’s chin and gave him a little shake. “Hey! Hey, Zach! Wake up, fuckface!” Zach’s breath hitched and he swallowed sleepily and rolled over onto his side. “Dammit!” Chris shook his head - this _would_ happen. Fucking Zach and his fucking cranberry vodkas, what the fuck! See if Chris ever tried this on him again. He rolled over onto his back and cursed some more at the ceiling, groaning in frustration as he reached down to shove his own boxers to his knees. He sure as hell wasn’t going to let Zach prevent _him_ from getting off, so he wrapped a fist around his dick and gave a few hard strokes as he closed his eyes.

**

Chris came awake suddenly, disoriented in the dark as he felt the mattress dip and heard the sound of hurried footsteps across the carpet. A thin beam of light streamed from the bathroom before the door closed, and he heard the unmistakable sound of retching. He winced a little and shifted, and suddenly realized how glad he was that Zach had had to rush to the bathroom, because his boxers were still down around his knees and his fist was wrapped loosely around his limp cock. Fuck, that could have been embarrassing. He hastily pulled up his shorts and burrowed down into the covers, listening to the sounds of the toilet flushing, followed by water running in the sink, and then the shower. He’d almost fallen asleep again by the time the bathroom door opened, and he squinted against the light before Zach turned it off and padded slowly back to the bed.

Zach caught sight of Chris’s eyes, slit open and watching him, and he slid under the covers to wrap his arms around Chris’s shoulders.

“Hi,” he whispered, his words warm against Chris’s skin. His body was still damp, naked except for his boxers, and Chris threaded his fingers gently in Zach’s wet hair.

“You okay?”

“Sure,” Zach said, nodding, pressing forward to brush his mouth against Chris’s, parting his lips a little as he nuzzled their noses together.

“Zach?” Chris said, pulling back a little as Zach tried to kiss him again. “Didn’t you just barf?”

“I brushed my teeth!” Zach defended, kissing him again, and this time Chris let him, opening his mouth enough for Zach to slide the tip of his tongue in, and then Chris was kissing back, licking at his tongue and tasting mint and nothing else, thank god. Still, he pulled back again, scowled at Zach in the darkness.

“I’m kinda mad at you.”

“I know,” Zach said, closing his eyes and squeezing his arms around Chris, wrapping a long leg behind his knees and murmuring into his shoulder. “I’m an idiot. I’m sorry.”

“You got really drunk.”

“I’m sorry, Chris. I didn’t mean to. I just wanted you to, you know. What we talked about. Fuck, I’m sorry, Chris, I fucked it up. I’m sorry.”

“I just wanted to be with _you_ , you know? I just want to do stuff with you.”

“I know, I know, Chris, believe me, I know. I’m sorry.” He looked into Chris’s eyes, touched a finger gently to his lips. “Just tell me what you want, okay, anything. Let me make it up to you. Please?”

Chris’s eyes were wide and vulnerable as he took Zach’s hand and pulled it behind his head and leaned in so that his lips brushed against Zach’s. “Just, don’t pass out again, okay?” he whispered.

“I won’t, I swear.”

Chris kissed him on the mouth, pushed gently against his shoulder until he was on his back, then moved quickly down the bed to prop himself between Zach’s legs. He felt a hot flush through his body, and his arms were shaking with anticipation as he dropped onto his elbows and buried his face in the front of Zach’s boxer-briefs, sliding his cheek against the length of Zach’s cock. With trembling hands, he tugged at Zach’s waistband, sliding it over his ass until his cock sprang free. Zach almost kicked him in the face trying to pull his underwear the rest of the way off.

Chris hovered above Zach’s cock, licking his lips, and Zach could feel the tremor in his warm breath.

“Chris, you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to,” he said, meaning it, but Chris only dug his fingers into Zach’s thigh.

“Shut. Up.” He took a deep breath and leaned down to run the flat of his tongue up Zach’s shaft. He slid the tip into his mouth and sucked, then sank down farther, sliding his lips along the length, concentrating so hard that he barely felt Zach’s fist gripping his hair and only dimly registered the groans of pleasure coming from above. He could feel drool dripping down his cheek, and he swallowed instinctively, and Zach’s moans were coming out more like squeaks now as he panted “shit, Chris, gonna…fuck, I’m gonna…” Chris felt Zach stiffen underneath him, muscles clenching beneath his fingers, and he pulled his mouth off just before Zach came, spurting ropes of liquid across his bare stomach.

Zach had an arm over his eyes and he was shaking, breathing so hard that it looked for a second like he might be hyperventilating or something, but Chris was way too horny to worry about that. Instead he scrambled up to straddle Zach’s hips, and suddenly all he could think about was how good it would feel to slide his cock against Zach’s come-slick stomach, he didn’t even care how gross that was. He leaned down to kiss at Zach’s neck, moaning as he felt the slickness of cooling jizz against his dick and he moved his hips, gave a little thrust and _fuck_ , that felt good. Zach looked down at what Chris was doing, his eyes going wide, and he sucked in his stomach and arched up to meet Chris’s motions.

Chris reached down to grab his own cock, his knuckles pressing against Zach’s abs as he pumped into his fist, cringing a little at the obscene slurping sound it made, but too far gone to care. Zach was panting his encouragement, propping himself up on his elbows to get a better view. When he looked up at Chris from under lowered lashes, Chris squeezed his fingers a little tighter, fucked into his fist a little faster, and came across Zach’s chest with an embarrassingly loud yell.

Afterwards, he rolled onto his side, panting hard, rubbing a hand idly across his chest. He felt the damp trail from his fingers and curled his lip.

“Ugh,” he said, levering himself up from the mattress. “I’m taking a shower.”

“ _You’re_ taking a shower?” Zach asked in disbelief, following him out of the bed. “I’m the one covered in jizz!”

“I didn’t say you couldn’t come with!”

  
They kissed for a long time in the steaming shower, holding each other close after they’d cleaned off. In between kisses, Chris asked Zach shyly how it had been.

“Chris, I…it was fucking amazing. I can’t even tell you.”

“Best blowjob of your life?”

Zach laughed softly. “Only blowjob of my life. But yeah. Fuck, Chris, I’m so glad it was you. God, I …I…”

“Sorry if that thing was weird,” Chris said, interrupting. “That I did, after. I don’t really know…”

“Chris, shut up. Do you have any idea how hot you are?”

Chris felt very confident replying with a resounding “No,” and Zach proceeded to show him in great detail with his lips and tongue.

**

They slept late, no surprise. Zach woke up first and watched Chris for a while, until he snuffled and shifted under the covers. Zach smiled when he actually brought his fists up to rub at his eyes before blinking them blearily at Zach.

"Hi," he said, his voice soft with sleep.

"Hey," Zach said softly in return.

"Were you watching me sleep?"

Zach blushed, caught. He shrugged. "I don't get to see you enough."

"Here," Chris said, throwing the covers off and climbing out of the bed. He reached into his bag and pulled out a disposable camera. "Take a picture of me," he said, handing it to Zach. "I'll get doubles."

Zach looked at the camera and frowned. "Don't you want to take pictures at the con?"

Chris rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I need to take some hot pictures of Seven of Nine to spank to later,” he joked. “I'll save some. Come on."

"Okay." Zach scooted over next to Chris, threw an arm around his shoulders, and reached out to snap a picture of the two of them. "I hope it's good," he said, handing the camera back.

"Me, too."

**

They split up in the afternoon, when the Vulcan language class clashed with a costume workshop that Chris wanted to check out. One of the actual costume designers from _Deep Space 9_ was there, which kept Chris just interested enough to keep from missing Zach the entire time. Still, when they were done, he pretty much speed-walked through the convention center to get back to him. They were supposed to meet outside Conference Room 6, and Chris hoped he wouldn’t have too hard a time finding him. He needn’t have worried though, because a group of costumed Vulcans was spilling out into the hall, and he could hear Zach’s voice over the crowd.

“Oh my god, are you stupid or something?!” Zach was yelling. “Haven’t you even listened to Mark Gardner’s cassette tapes? No? Okay, well he only _invented_ the language, so why don’t you try actually learning something before you start telling me that I can’t fucking pronounce something as simple as ‘asal-yem’!”

Zach turned on his heel, and Chris tried to shift his expression from stunned to apologetic as he stormed past. Chris turned to follow him without a word, jogging a little to keep up as Zach pushed his way out into an empty courtyard and stopped to take a few deep breaths. Finally Zach caught his eye. “What?” he said, still seething with anger.

“Um. Nothing. Just, you got really mad back there. I, uh…I didn’t know you could get so worked up.”

Zach ran a hand through his hair. “I know, just…some people are so fucking _stupid_!”

“Yeah, they are,” Chris said, nodding as he stepped closer to run a hand down Zach’s arm. Zach turned toward him and let himself be pulled into a loose embrace. “I think you need a hug.” Zach smiled despite himself and pulled Chris a little closer. Chris turned to let his lips brush against Zach’s cheek. “And a kiss,” he whispered with a smile. Zach nodded, and Chris kissed him again, then their lips met and Zach tilted his head as their tongues slid together.

They hadn’t heard the door to the courtyard open, but they did hear the startled gasp, and they pulled apart quickly as a voice said “Oh my god!”

Chris whipped around to find Tasha staring at them with her eyes wide and her hand clamped over her mouth.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!” he yelled, his eyes going stormy, and Zach flinched a little. “Are you following us around or something?!”

Tasha shook her head helplessly and lowered her hand. “Are you guys, like, _boyfriends_?”

“What is WRONG with you?!” Chris cried in strangled frustration. “At least I _have_ a boyfriend! Now get the hell out of here and leave us alone!” He was quivering in anger, his fists clenched at his sides, and his face was turning beet red. Tasha looked like she was about to cry as she turned to yank the door open and get away.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Chris slumped onto a bench and put his face in his hands.

Zach sat down cautiously beside him. “Wow.”

He reached out to run a hand gently over Chris’s back, and he could feel the deep breaths Chris was taking as he struggled to regain his composure. When he finally spoke, he sounded absolutely miserable. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Zach said, trying not to let Chris hear his smile. “You’re kinda hot when you go totally postal like that. Scary…but hot.”

“I shouldn’t have been so mean to her.”

Zach shrugged. “Whatever.”

“I should go apologize.”

“What? Why?” Zach asked.

“Did you see the look on her face? I feel really terrible.” He stood up, offered Zach a hand. “Come on, let’s go find her. Do you mind?”

Zach didn’t understand why Chris wanted to go apologize to some girl just because her feelings might be hurt, but whatever. Anything Chris wanted to do was fine by him.

  
They spotted Tasha in the Dealer’s Room, at a display table of Gil Hibben daggers. She was holding one in her hands, looking at it with her jaw set and a spark of anger in her eyes as Chris approached.

“Chris!” Zach hissed, pulling him back by his jacket.

“What?”

“Maybe you want to wait until she _puts down the knife_?”

“Whatever, it’s fine,” Chris said, shrugging him off and approaching warily. “Um, hey Tasha.”

She glanced at him. “Oh. Hey.”

“Look, um…” Chris rubbed at the back of his neck, a gesture that Zach felt like he already knew so well. “I’m sorry, okay? About before. I was…kind of a jerk.”

“Yeah, you were,” Tasha shot back at him. “Captain Jerk.”

The corner of Chris’s mouth twitched up and Tasha smiled. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, well, me too. I swear, I wasn’t following you, and I really didn’t mean to walk in on you guys like that.”

Chris felt his face go hot. “Yeah.”

“I think it’s cool that you guys are…you know. That you, like, found each other and stuff.”

“Yeah. It’s cool. And I’m sorry I said that thing about not having a boyfriend or whatever. I didn’t mean it. You’re really nice and everything. Even though you can be really, _really_ annoying sometimes.”

“Uh. Thanks? I guess.”

Chris nodded seriously, trying to think if there was anything else he should say. He couldn’t think of anything. “Okay, bye.” He turned to leave.

“Hey, JTK.”

“Yeah?” he asked, turning around.

“I’ll see you online and stuff, right?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Cool. Bye!”

  
Chris could feel Zach watching him as they walked back across the convention center. “What?”

Zach smiled. “Nothing. Just. That was really nice.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

“I mean, I would never have done that.”

Chris grinned. “Yeah. Well, you’re a jerk.”

“Shut up.”

“You shut up.”

“Why don’t you shut me up?” Zach said, dropping his voice.

Chris blushed again and shook his head. “Captain’s panel,” he reminded Zach.

Zach bit his lip. “Yeah, I know, but I just really want to make out with you again. Like, now.”

“What are you, like going through Pon Farr right now or something?” Chris joked.

Zach pulled him close and growled in his ear. “Maybe I am. And maybe you’re the only one who can save me from this blood fever, _Captain_. What are you going to do about it?”

Chris glanced at his watch, back up at Zach, and then over to the elevators. “We’ve got fifteen minutes,” he said, and they took off at a run.

**

They missed the Captain’s panel, but Chris really couldn’t bring himself to care.

**

They ordered room service and ate it sprawled on the bed, boneless and sated and a little bit chafed. Zach suggested putting on _First Contact_ , but instead Chris made him get out his photo album, and they looked through it together as Zach recounted his previous convention experiences in what Chris fondly termed an “enormous geekitude of detail.” The story of how Zach’s brother had tried to hit on Marina Sirtis was hilarious, but when Zach launched into a long-winded detailing of the inaccuracies of the Enterprise NC-1701-A model at the Pittsburgh convention in 1993, Chris gently set the binder on the floor and rolled him over for a long, enthusiastic kiss.

And even though he’d seriously lost count of how many times they’d gotten off together in the past 48 hours, he couldn’t complain when Zach slid a spit-slicked palm between them, taking both of their dicks in his hand and stroking them slowly. He teased at the head of Chris’s cock with his thumb, and Chris’s breath hitched as he clung tightly to Zach’s shoulders, burying his face in Zach’s neck and trying to remember, even as it was still happening. The pleasure built slowly, giving Chris plenty of time to take in the details, Zach’s broad palm sliding over his shaft, the feel of Zach’s dick, hard and hot against his, the way he moaned a little when Chris bit lightly at his earlobe. He wanted it to last forever, but it felt too good, and too soon he was grunting and his toes were curling and he was forgetting to breathe as his orgasm overtook him, his last reserves of come dribbling weakly over Zach’s fingers.

“Fuck,” he said against Zach’s chest, and he felt Zach’s fingertips trailing down his side and across his hip.

“You know what we gotta do next time, right?” Zach whispered in his ear.

Chris somehow summoned enough energy to say, “Don’t even think about it, Zach. You’re not going anywhere near my butt.”

Zach chuckled. “Will you go near mine?”

“Hell, no.”

“Mm-hmm. We’ll see.” He nuzzled against Chris’s nose and cheek. “When are you gonna come visit me anyway, huh?” he asked, teasing.

“Um, when my mom goes into a coma?”

Zach couldn’t help laughing. “That’s terrible.”

“Well, it sure as hell isn’t happening any other way!”

“Your mom probably knows you’re gay, Chris.”

“The fact that I’m alive would show otherwise,” Chris said dryly.

“She bought you a sewing machine.”

“That was because I made her an awesome pillow in Home Ec.”

Zach propped himself up on an elbow and looked down at Chris with an eyebrow raised. “Exactly.”

“Hey, Zach?”

“Yeah?”

“Could we not spend our last night together talking about my mom?”

“Don’t say that,” Zach said, squeezing a hand on his thigh.

“Say what?”

“That it’s our last night together. God, I don’t want to think about it.”

“Okay.”

They lay in silence for a long moment, lost in their own thoughts. “Hey, Zach.”

“Yeah?”

“What was that word today, the Vulcan word you got so upset about?”

“Oh. Um. Asal-yem,” Zach told him, his pronunciation perfect.

“What does it mean?”

Zach shook his head, blushing. “It means…breakfast.”

Chris laughed. “You know how to say ‘breakfast’ in Vulcan?”

Zach rolled his eyes. “Everyone does! Food words are, like, the first thing you learn! I don’t know why that dude was insisting that his pronunciation was right, when it was so obviously wrong!” Zach was getting himself worked up again, up on an elbow now and glaring into the dimming light. He looked down at Chris. “I know you think I’m a total geek.”

Chris shook his head and his blue eyes shone with his smile. “Maybe that guy was using the Old Vulcan pronunciation, which still lingers in the outer regions of Vulcan, across the planet from Shi’Kahr.”

Zach grinned at him. “Nerd.” He lay back on the pillow and reached for Chris’s hand. “Okay, your turn.”

“Turn for what?”

“To tell me why you got so mad today. When Tasha saw us. You really flipped out.”

Chris shrugged. “I don’t know. I just…I didn’t like being interrupted. We already have so little time together, and-“ he swallowed, “I’m gonna miss you so fuckin’ much.”

“Yeah,” Zach whispered, leaning forward to meet Chris’s lips. Chris opened his mouth to slide his tongue across Zach’s lips, and Zach pulled back a little. “Um. I really don’t think I can do anything…again. If you know what I mean.”

“Yeah, me neither. But maybe we can just kiss a little more?”

“I am amenable to your suggestion.”

**

“If you could be any species, what would you be?” Chris asked, later. They were both struggling to keep their eyes open, not wanting to waste a single second of their remaining time together on something as lame as sleep.

Zach gnawed on his lip for a second. “Shapeshifter.”

Chris frowned. “Really?”

“Yep. “

“Why?”

“So I could become a bird or something and fly to California to visit you.”

“Dork.”

“What about you?”

“Ummm…shapeshifter.”

“That’s unoriginal.”

“Ask me why.”

“Why?”

“So I could suck my own dick.”

Zach laughed and faked a punch at Chris’s stomach. “Fucker.”

Chris laughed underneath him. “Jealous you didn’t think of it first?”

“Okay, yeah,” Zach admitted, brushing a kiss against his forehead.

Chris brought a hand up to Zach’s face, ran his fingertips along his cheek and tilted his face up to press a kiss to his lips. He let his eyes close, focused on the pleasant thrill of Zach’s closeness that still tingled in his belly. “I’m so glad we found each other,” he mumbled against Zach’s mouth, and he felt lips curl into a smile against his.

“Me too,” Zach whispered, kissing him again, and again. When he pulled back, he pressed their foreheads together, closing his eyes, too, as he held back the emotions that threatened to spill from them. “Let’s find each other again soon, okay?”

“Okay.”

**

 **AOL Instant Messenger  
Private message from LtCmdrZach**

 **LtCmdrZach** : hey you  
 **jtk1980** : hi :-)  
 **LtCmdrZach** : miss me?  
 **jtk1980** : understatement  
 **LtCmdrZach** : yeah  
 **LtCmdrZach** : you get home okay?  
 **jtk1980** : yeah  
 **jtk1980** : you?  
 **jtk1980** : hello?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : sorry. i was thinking about whether to tell you something  
 **jtk1980** : tell me what?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : its embarrassing  
 **jtk1980** : what?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : i cried a little on the plane  
 **LtCmdrZach** : more like teared up actually  
 **LtCmdrZach** : god i can’t believe i just told you that  
 **jtk1980** : me too  
 **LtCmdrZach** : shut up  
 **jtk1980** : I did, I swear  
 **jtk1980** : the lady next to me gave me a tissue  
 **jtk1980** : and she asked why I was crying  
 **LtCmdrZach** : what did you say?  
 **jtk1980** : I said it was because it would be months before I get another bj  
 **LtCmdrZach** : lol  
 **LtCmdrZach** : u did not liar  
 **jtk1980** : no  
 **jtk1980** : I just told her I was homesick  
 **jtk1980** : would have been funny tho right?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : yeah your a laugh riot  
 **jtk1980** : :-)  
 **LtCmdrZach** : hey chris  
 **jtk1980** : yeah?  
 **jtk1980** : ?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : u love me?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : ?  
 **jtk1980** : yeah  
 **LtCmdrZach** : you do?  
 **jtk1980** : yep  
 **LtCmdrZach** : :-)  
 **LtCmdrZach** : smiling so hard right now  
 **jtk1980** : me too  
 **jtk1980** : u love me?  
 **LtCmdrZach** : duh  
 **jtk1980** : :-)  
 **LtCmdrZach** : :-)  
 **jtk1980** : :-D  
 **LtCmdrZach** : dork  
 **LtCmdrZach** : so…  
 **LtCmdrZach** : what are u wearing? ;-)


	3. Trekkies in Love 3: All Our Yesterdays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris comes to NYC for a Star Trek convention in 2002. Third installment of [Trekkies in Love](http://therumjournals.livejournal.com/tag/series%3A%20trekkies%20in%20love).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dolores is Zoe Saldana’s character from the movie _The Terminal_ \- she plays an airport employee who goes to Star Trek conventions dressed as Yeoman Rand.

To: ltcmdrzach@aol.com  
From: Chris.Pine@yahoo.com

May 7, 2002

Hi Zach,  
This is Chris (jtk1980). I know it’s been a while – I don’t even know if you check this email any more, but it’s the only contact info I have for you besides your last phone # from CMU. I’m writing because I’m going to the Star Trek convention in NYC in a month and I was wondering if you might be there. I think last time we talked you said something about wanting to move to New York, but I don’t know if you ever did. Well, anyway, I just wanted to see if you might be going to the convention at all and to let you know that I’m going to be over on the east coast for once. It would be cool to see you again, if you wanted to, but I understand if you don’t.

I hope it’s not too weird, me writing you like this. If you even get this email, which you probably won’t.

~Chris

PS – I just got a cell phone so if for some reason you wanted to call me it’s 213-924-1702 (I tried to get 1701 but someone else has it!)

  
To: Chris.Pine@yahoo.com  
From: zqgraphics@geocities.com

May 13, 2002

hey chris,  
got your email at my other acct. yeah, i live in the city now. i’m pretty busy that weekend, so i don’t know if i’ll make it to the con. i guess i might have time to grab coffee or something.  
zach

  
To: zqgraphics@geocities.com  
From: Chris.Pine@yahoo.com

May 28, 2002

Hey Zach,  
Just wanted to let you know that I’m getting into New York on Thursday afternoon. Would you want to meet up for a drink or something? I’m staying in the Marriott near the convention center, do you know where that is? Anyway, let me know.  
~Chris (213-924-1702)

  
To: Chris.Pine@yahoo.com  
From: zqgraphics@geocities.com

May 31, 2002

chris,  
i’m busy thursday but could get coffee on friday – 10am at starbucks? it’s across from your hotel.  
zach

*

Chris bounced his knee under the table and ran a hand through his hair for the fiftieth time. He scowled at the empty grande coffee cup in front of him before pulling out his Nokia and starting another game of Snake. He was well on his way to beating his personal record when the phone buzzed in his hand. Shit. For a second he debated not answering, then he laughed at himself and rolled his eyes. As if that had ever been an option.

“Hello?”

“Chris?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s Zach.”

Chris squeezed his eyes shut and didn’t answer.

“Um, are you at Starbucks?”

“What the fuck do you think?” Chris burst. He bounced his knee a little harder and everything on the table jumped.

“Look, I’m sorry. I can still make it over there…”

“Don’t bother. I gotta go.”

“Wait, Chris.”

“What?”

“Do you…I mean, do you want to get lunch or something?”

“I don’t think it’s gonna work out, okay? I’m here for the convention, and I already missed one panel waiting for you. So, I guess I’ll see you around.” Yeah, like, never, he thought bitterly.

“Oh. Um. Okay.”

“Yeah, okay. Bye, Zach.”

“Have fun at the con-” Zach was saying as Chris pressed End. He shoved the phone in his pocket and pushed out the door, squinting as he stepped into the sun.

Five minutes later, the phone buzzed against his thigh. Chris pulled it out and frowned when he didn’t see a missed call, but instead a little envelope blinked on the screen. A text message?

 _dinner?_

The number wasn’t in his Contacts, which meant that it must be Zach. It took him a second to figure out the text function, and another minute to figure out that it was actually filling in the words automatically. Weird. He finally managed to type out a comprehendible message.

 **Can’t. Meeting up with some friends.**

 _after?_

 **I don’t think so.**

 _come on i feel like shit_

Okay, that made Chris feel a little better, but before he could reply he got another text.

 _skip the room party? ;-)_

Chris grinned, then hastily wiped the smile from his face. What the fuck was Zach playing at, standing him up one minute and throwing memories in his face the next? Fuck him. He stuffed the phone in his pocket and walked across the street.

Fuck.

 **Fine. Where do you live?**

 _we can meet near your hotel_

 **Don’t really want to get stood up again. Where’s your apt?**

Zach texted him an address, and Chris spent half of Patrick Stewart’s speech slumped in his seat in the back, planning out his route on a subway map.

*

Zach opened the door of his apartment to find Chris chuckling to himself in the hallway. He raised an eyebrow.

“Sorry,” Chris said, shaking his head. “Just, for a minute I pictured you having the ears on when you opened the door.” His smile faded and they both went silent as they looked at each other for the first time in forever.

Chris was taller now, Zach noticed, and he seemed to know it, standing a little straighter, looking a little more confident than Zach remembered. He’d filled out a little, too, and Zach wasn’t sure why it surprised him that Chris knew what he was doing with his clothes, his t-shirt clinging to his broad chest under a black leather jacket. Zach let his gaze travel upwards to Chris’s face, god he was handsome, a strong jaw, clean-shaven. Fuck, he’d forgotten about those eyes. No. No, that was a lie, he hadn’t forgotten about them. He just…hadn’t remembered the effect they’d had on him, or maybe he’d thought he was immune now, after so long. He wasn’t, and he tore his eyes away, blindly gesturing for Chris to come inside.

Chris had taken his time looking Zach over, knowing Zach had been doing the same. Zach was still thin, and his legs still went on forever, but he seemed more comfortable in his body now, less gangly, more poised. Chris could see toned biceps where his t-shirt sleeves ended, and he’d done something remarkable with his hair, and his eyes, fuck, dark and framed by gorgeous lashes, just the way he remembered them, only a little more guarded now. He wanted to keep looking, to see if he could get a little deeper, but Zach was turning away, and Chris followed him inside.

The apartment was a tiny studio, a couch and coffee table taking up most of the room, with an entertainment center along one wall and a desk on the other. The kitchenette was tucked into a corner, separated from the rest of the room by a high countertop.

“What are you drinking these days?” Zach asked, peering into the refrigerator.

“Anything,” Chris laughed. But he nodded his approval when Zach turned around with two Smirnoff Ices in his hand and took one gratefully. He dropped onto the couch, and Zach hesitated for a second before dragging his desk chair over to the other side of the coffee table.

“It’s nice to see you again,” Chris said, at the same time that Zach said “Sorry about this morning.”

An awkward beat passed, and Chris focused intently on the lip of his bottle. He took a deep breath and looked up at Zach with a forced smile. “It’s okay. I’m sure you’re really busy and stuff. Do you, like, have your own business now or something?”

Zach shook his head. “Just freelancing.”

“Oh. Cool.”

“Yeah.” Zach took a long swig from his bottle. “So. Um. How’s the con?”

“It’s good,” Chris said quickly, thankful to have arrived at a more comfortable topic. “Saw Patrick Stewart today.”

“Oh, cool.”

“Yeah. That man is a god.”

“Heh, yeah. Did you, uh…did you go in costume?”

“Uh, yeah,” Chris said, holding back a smile.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“What, come on.”

Chris finally let his lips quirk up. “I’m emceeing the Trek Fashion Show tomorrow night.”

“You WHAT?! _Fashion show_? You’re fucking kidding me.”

Chris laughed. “Yeah, I know. You know, when I came out in college, I really just kind of stopped holding back and threw myself into it, no holds barred.”

“So I’d heard,” Zach said, dryly.

Chris swallowed and his eyes dropped to the floor. The air seemed to leave the room and an uncomfortable silence settled over them. Chris licked his lips. “Zach, I’m sorry…”

“Chris, stop,” Zach said with a forced laugh. “Look, don’t worry about it, alright? That was like what, four years ago? I’m over it.”

Three years and eight months ago, Chris thought, squinting at the ground, his elbows propped on his knees. But he nodded his agreement anyway before he looked up at Zach. “Um. Should we…maybe we should go get a drink somewhere?”

Zach eyed the mostly full bottle in Chris’s hand, but he knew what Chris meant. The apartment suddenly felt claustrophobic, and Zach was struck by the realization that they’d only ever spent time together in impersonal hotel rooms and crowded convention centers. Now Chris was sitting here in the middle of his stuff, his whole life visible, and he suddenly felt raw and exposed.

“Yeah. Let’s get out of here.”

Chris stood in a smooth motion, rolling his shoulders to straighten his jacket before he took a long swig from his bottle. Zach swallowed, said he’d be ready in a sec, and slipped into the bathroom. He took a piss, washed his hands, and checked himself out in the mirror. He gripped the edge of the counter with both hands and glared at his reflection. He turned to leave, then turned back a second later to push a handful of product into his hair. Then gave himself the finger, pasted a smile on his face, and stepped out of the bathroom.

Chris was standing next to his desk, looking down at something in the clutter of papers, his fingers wrapped loosely around the forgotten bottle in his hand. Zach’s stomach leapt into his throat and he swallowed hard. Fuck.

Chris glanced over at him, then back down at the desk without a word, flipping a few more pages in the binder. _Don’t flip to the back, don’t flip to the back_ , Zach thought desperately. Chris flipped a few more pages and stopped, his fingertips hovering above the page.

“I, uh…I got that out a few weeks ago.” Zach mumbled. “When you emailed.”

“What happened to this one?” Chris asked, not looking up from the binder. Zach took a few steps closer, like he had to look to see exactly what picture Chris was talking about.

“Uh. Not sure.”

Chris nodded. He knew what picture it was, or could guess. But Zach hadn’t removed all evidence of him, since under the blank space was a picture of the two of them, side by side in their uniforms, Chris grinning like an idiot at the camera and Zach trying to look stoically Vulcan or some shit.

“Did we actually think those haircuts were _cool_?” he asked, shaking his head.

“I’m pretty sure we never even approached cool,” Zach said, then he took a deep breath. “Look, I wasn’t actually busy this morning.”

“Zach…”

“No, listen, I just…” He ran a hand through hair, undoing his hasty styling efforts as his words came in a rush. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to see you, okay, and I know you said you’d understand if that was the case, but then I thought maybe I did, and I swear I wasn’t trying to, like, intentionally stand you up, I just got really…”

“Nervous?”

“No. A little.”

“Pissed?”

Zach gave a frustrated shake of his head. “Not exactly. Maybe. I…fuck, you know, I hadn’t thought about everything in forever, and then I got your email, and it was just like…like-“ He could feel his hands clenching at his sides and he was almost pleased to see a pained look cross Chris’s face. He crossed the room and sat down heavily on the couch and scrubbed his face in his hands. “Jesus.”

“Zach…”

“No, just – just let me get this out okay?” He dropped his hands and looked at Chris, but it was too hard, and his eyes drifted to the floor. His voice was quiet. “I know we only saw each other like five times, and that most of our relationship was conducted over Instant Messenger, but…it was real to me.”

“It was real to me, too,” Chris protested quickly, “Zach, I-“

“Chris.” Zach cut him off, gesturing for him to stop. “Do you have any idea what it was like for me? Any idea at all? I mean, one minute you’re calling me crying, saying you kissed some guy at a party while you were drunk, saying that you love me and asking me to forgive you, and like two days later, you tell me over fucking IM that you want to break up because there’s ‘more out there’? I know I said I was over it, but can you really blame me if I still harbor some residual bitterness? I mean, what the _fuck_ , Chris?”

“Zach, look, I think I should just go, okay? I swear, I didn’t come here to dredge this shit up-“

“No, you know what, you don’t get to do that. Jesus, do you know how many times I’ve thought about what I would say to you if I ever saw you again?”

Chris swallowed and looked away. He dropped into the chair and dragged his eyes up to meet Zach’s. “What do you want to say?”

Zach shook his head, at a loss. “Just…what the fuck? What happened, Chris? I thought I knew you, and…you, like…you just _changed_.”

Chris stared at the ground while he formulated his response. “I did change. It was…so different, Zach, you have no idea what it was like, suddenly being in a place where I could be someone else, where I could be myself, where I could figure out who I was. I mean, you _did_ know, kind of, because you were the one who-“ Chris huffed out a laugh. “It’s your fault, you know. You violated the Prime Directive.”

Zach raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry?”

Chris grinned. “You’re the one who introduced me to…to like this whole new part of me that I hadn’t even known existed before…and I wanted to know more, and god, there was all this temptation at college, and I was…well, I was an asshole, but yeah. You knew that.”

Zach felt the corner of his mouth twitch. “So you’re saying I shouldn’t have introduced blowjobs to pre-gay civilizations?”

Chris laughed outright. “Um, okay, so maybe it was a slightly clunky analogy. Zach, I…fuck, the worst thing about it was, I always meant to come back to you, you know? It was just supposed to be a phase, it _was_ just a phase, I just needed to…know, I guess, to find out what else was out there. And I think I knew in the back of my mind that it would never measure up, that it wouldn’t be anything like what we had. I just had to make sure. I was so stupid. Like, I thought you’d be sitting in your dorm room with your action figures, just waiting for me to come back to you. I was a fucking idiot who assumed no one else would be able to see what I saw in you. Yeah, right. I didn’t even consider it until I called you that one time and –‘

“And I told you I was dating Michael.”

“Yeah. What a fucking _idiot_.” He looked up at Zach. “Me, not Michael.”

Zach gave him a little smile. “Yeah, I know.”

“So how long did you two date for, anyway?” Chris asked.

Zach looked off to the side. “We broke up like four months ago,” he said casually.

Chris’s mouth dropped open. “Holy shit. Seriously? You were together that whole time?!”

Zach nodded. “Three years. We both moved to the city after school.”

“Jesus,” Chris whispered. “Why did you…”

Zach shrugged. “I broke up with him. I don’t know. There were reasons.”

“God.” Chris leaned back in his chair and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’m sorry, Zach. I know saying that doesn’t really do shit, but just…know that I’ve beaten myself up over it, okay? I was selfish and horny and I learned my lesson. I didn’t deserve you, and I totally understand why you didn’t want to see me again. I’m sorry.”

Zach stared at him, his fingers playing with his bottle. Finally, he shook his head and looked away. “You really fucked me up, Chris,” he said softly. “I mean, you broke my fucking heart.”

Chris felt the tears prickling up behind his eyes and his vision blurred before he could do anything to stop them. He swiped a hand over his eye and it came back damp.

Zach looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “Are you…crying?”

Chris shook his head. He looked up toward the ceiling and blinked a few times to press the tears back. He huffed out a laugh and nodded. “Maybe. Fuck.” He wiped his other eye and looked at Zach. “I just…I don’t want you to think it wasn’t real to me. It was. God, Zach. You were my first love and...and everything that that entails.” He ran his palms over his jeans and shook his head. “And I should probably go.” He stood to leave, and Zach stood too, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“I’m sorry about this morning.”

“’S’okay,” Chris said with a shrug. “I deserved it.”

Zach nodded and glanced at the door. Chris took the hint and walked over, putting a hand on the doorknob before he spoke.

“You know, I don’t think I’m the only one that changed, Zach.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I don’t even see one fucking Star Trek movie on your shelves, much less your vaunted TOS collection.” He looked pointedly at a closed cabinet next to the entertainment center. “I never thought you’d be the type, Zach.”

“Jesus, I was in the bathroom for, like, five seconds, and you had time to go through _all_ of my shit?”

Chris smirked. “It was a guess.”

Zach crossed his arms and glanced guiltily at the cabinet. Chris noticed.

“What? You got Kirk and Spock doing it in there or something?”

“No,” Zach said defiantly.

“They totally are, aren’t they?” Chris said, grinning mischievously. He was across the room in two long strides, Zach grabbing for his arm, stumbling forward as Chris wrenched it away, “Chris, don’t!”

Chris leaned down to open the cabinet doors, and for a minute he wondered what Zach was so worried about. There were his action figures across the bottom shelf, most still in their cases. The top shelf was full of VHS tapes, the movies mixed in with hand-labeled tapes with titles like **TOS Edge of Forever/Amok Time**. Zach even had a few DVD boxed sets that must have cost him a ton. Chris heard Zach mutter a curse behind him as his eyes landed on a picture frame lying face down in front of the movies. Chris reached for it, picking it up slowly, knowing what he would find. He recognized the picture, of course he did, he had the same one, worn around the edges and still sticky on the back from when he’d had it hanging on his wall freshman year. The two of them, their young faces grinning into the camera, sleep rumpled, cheeks just touching as they leaned close together on the hotel bed. The picture was in a dark wood frame, the glass in front cracked in two places. Chris winced. He could probably guess when that had happened.

“Zach…” Chris breathed, as the memories flooded through him. He was embarrassed to feel the sting of tears in the corners of his eyes again, and he blinked rapidly, willing them away.

“Give me that,” Zach said softly.

Chris glanced at him curiously. “Why?”

Zach reached over to tug the picture out of his hand. “So I can do something monumentally stupid,” he said, stepping forward and slamming their lips together.

Chris responded automatically, his hand finding Zach’s waist as he pressed into the kiss. “Okay,” he mumbled against Zach’s mouth.

Zach slid his hands into Chris’s hair and pinned him against the cabinet, plundering his mouth. Chris let him in eagerly, sliding their tongues together between the seal of their lips, and it’s not like Chris had ever been a bad kisser, but he must have picked up some pointers at Berkeley, because “ _Jesus, Chris_.” Zach was panting hotly against Chris’s smooth cheek, only long enough to catch his breath so he could cover Chris’s mouth with his again. He scraped his teeth against Chris’s bottom lip and Chris moaned, and it was a sound so familiar and so forgotten that Zach had to stop again, had to wrap his arms around Chris’s shoulders and breathe him in.

“Chris…”

“I know. Zach, I know, fuck.” He dropped his arms as Zach’s hands came up to push the jacket from his shoulders, watching him with lust-dark eyes. Another lingering kiss, then they pulled apart simultaneously to yank their shirts off over their heads. Zach’s eyes slid down Chris’s broad chest, taking in the sight. He glanced up to find Chris giving him the same look, and they slammed together again, skin pressed against skin, tongues tangling together, and Zach slid a hand down Chris’s back to play at the waistband of his jeans.

“Fuck,” Chris said, pulling back, his face flushed as he glanced around the room. His voice seemed deeper, his eyes more serious now, as he asked, “Where the hell do you sleep, anyway?”

Zach curled his fingers in Chris’s waistband and tugged him toward the couch. Without breaking eye contact, he gave the frame a kick, and it dropped down to into a full-sized futon.

“Yep,” Chris said, nodding his approval, “that’s hot.” Zach sucked Chris’s bottom lip into his mouth and pressed him gracefully onto the bed.

Zach had barely brushed a hand over his fly before Chris was tugging at his zipper and yanking his pants down, kicking them out of the way before he turned his attention to helping Zach out of his. His own desperation didn’t surprise him, but the fact that Zach was just as frantic, just as eager to run his hands over Chris’s body, sent an unanticipated thrill up his spine. He thought he could detect a tenderness to his touch, beneath the lust, and he let his thumb trace gently over Zach’s cheekbone as their eyes met. Then Chris felt the hot length of Zach’s cock brush against his own, and tenderness was forgotten as he dug his fingers into Zach’s scalp and pulled him down for a brutal kiss.

Zach groaned into his mouth as they rutted against each other. Chris felt Zach’s hand on his hip, clutching at him like he was trying to stop himself from doing more. Chris shifted a little, and Zach slid a hand underneath him, squeezing at his ass, his fingertips brushing against Chris’s crack. He broke the kiss to breathe raggedly into Chris’s ear.

“So,” Zach panted, “have you reconsidered your position on things going near the butt?”

Chris moaned and squirmed, trying to urge Zach’s fingers closer. “Nnng, I got over it. Jesus fuck, Zach, _please_!”

Desire shot through Zach’s nerves at the sound of Chris’s tone, and he rubbed the tip of his index finger against Chris’s hole.

“More?”

“Yeah, more.”

“How much more?”

“Fuck me, Zach, I swear to god, I want you so bad.” His voice trembled, his body practically shaking with desire.

“I want to, I wanna fuck you,” Zach breathed. His fingers hadn’t stopped moving against Chris’s ass, and Chris spread his legs a little wider underneath him.

“Glad we’re on the same page,” Chris said, parting his lips as Zach leaned down to kiss him again.

“I have to get up,” Zach said against his lips.

“No!” Chris tightened his grip on Zach and kissed him harder, thrusting lightly with his hips.

“Yes,” Zach whispered, and he wrenched himself away, standing and taking a few steps away from the bed to his dresser.

Chris watched him for a second before reality crashed over him, and he was forced to confront the fact that he was sprawled naked on a futon in the middle of an apartment, in the middle of _Zach’s_ apartment, oh god. Zach, who he had thought about so many times, who he had tried so hard not to think about. Who he had thought he would never see again, much less – much less be sprawled naked on a futon in his New York City apartment, watching him root around in the top drawer of his Ikea dresser in search of lube. He closed his eyes against the weirdness of it all, and didn’t open them until he heard the drawer close and felt Zach slide onto the mattress beside him. He heard the click of the cap and looked down to see an expression of intense focus on Zach’s face as he squeezed lube over his fingers, dropped the tube, and reached down to brush the tip of a slick finger against his entrance.

“Wait, Zach-“

Chris’s voice startled Zach out of his concentration on the task at hand. “Yeah?”

“Kiss me first?”

“Right,” Zach said, nodding, and he leaned down to kiss Chris softly, his body relaxing as he made himself stop thinking about the more technical aspects of the process. He lost himself in the kiss and when he felt Chris’s spread his legs a little wider, he pressed his finger inside. Chris arched his back and widened his eyes at the sensation, and Zach slowly slid his finger out and in again.

“God,” Chris moaned, then he pulled Zach down to him again for a hard kiss, scraping his teeth against Zach’s lips and bucking his hips slightly in time with the motion of Zach’s finger.

“Okay?” Zach murmured against his lips, and Chris wasn’t really sure what he was asking, so he stilled for a second, said “um,” and then gasped as Zach pressed a second finger into him, twisting and stretching him. He pushed himself up a little to get a better position to pump his fingers into Chris. His cock throbbed - he loved this part, could almost get off on just doing this. Michael had always thought it was weird how much Zach liked fingering him, and fuck, why was he thinking about Michael right now when he had Chris in his bed, of all people, his Chris, fucking gorgeous and laid out in front of him, blue eyes looking at him with lust and want and affection and _fuck_. Zach pulled his fingers out fast and groped in the sheets for the condom, tearing the packet open with shaking hands and sliding it on.

He gripped his cock and lined it up so that the head pressed lightly against Chris’s hole. He shook his hair out of his eyes and looked at Chris.

“Um. I should probably tell you…I’ve only ever done this with one person.”

“’S’okay,” Chris said, exhaling. His voice sounded strained, but he gave Zach a valiant smile. “I’ve never done it sober.”

Zach’s eyes fluttered shut and he ran his free hand up Chris’s leg, pressed a tender kiss to the inside of his knee. He paused with his lips still touching the soft skin there as an unexpected ache settled in his chest. Then he tightened his hold on Chris’s hip and pushed inside.

Chris sucked in a breath and squeezed his eyes shut, and Zach forced himself to stop, even though all he wanted was to press farther into the tight heat of his passage. He took a deep breath, watching Chris’s face for signs that the pain was easing.

“Hey,” he whispered, running his free hand over Chris’s stomach, scratching lightly across his pale skin. “Relax a little, okay?”

Another flash of pain crossed Chris’s features, then he breathed in slowly and the lines in his forehead smoothed. He nodded slightly, and Zach pushed in farther, harder than he should have, maybe, but Chris was so hot, so tight around his cock, and he was rapidly losing his self-control.

“Fucking hell, Zach,” Chris groaned.

“What?”

Chris cracked an eye open. “You have a huge dick.”

Zach let out a laugh, sliding the rest of the way in. He leaned over and brushed a hand through Chris’s hair. “Feels so good, Chris.” And he was going to ask if Chris was okay, but then Chris clutched his biceps and met his eyes and said “Feels right,” and Zach couldn’t wait any more. He mashed his mouth against Chris’s and he felt Chris wrap a hand around the back of his neck, holding him close as their teeth scraped and their tongues slid together wildly for a hard, sloppy kiss. Zach moved his hips, pulling out just a little before pressing back inside, and Chris turned away from the kiss to let out a cry of pain through gritted teeth.

“Sorry,” Zach gasped, pleasure pulsing through his cock as Chris clenched around him.

Chris shook his head wildly. “It’s okay, it’s good, just – AHHHH!” he yelled again as Zach gave another shallow thrust. “No, it’s okay, keep going, fuck, fuck, ow, fuck, yeah, okay, no, god, don’t stop,” he panted as he writhed under Zach, squeezing at his hips to pull him closer even as he winced at the twinges of pain. Zach bit the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning at Chris’s stream of exclamations, and he shut his eyes as another wave of pleasure washed over him. He’d found a steady rhythm, and he leaned over to run his thumb across Chris’s lower lip.

“Hey, shhh.” He smiled when Chris made eye contact, and his tongue brushed against Zach’s thumb as he licked his lips. “The walls are kinda thin…”

“Yeah,” Chris said, swallowing, and he wrapped his arms around Zach’s back, clinging tightly to him, and Zach shortened his thrusts so he could stay in Chris’s arms. “Feels so good, Zach,” he said, his lips brushing Zach’s ear. “Feels amazing, god, can’t believe you’re fucking me.”

Zach smiled and brushed his lips against Chris’s hair, then almost without warning he felt the telltale heat wash over his skin, like a fuse had been lit in his gut, and he pulled away from Chris, wrapped two fingers around himself as he watched his cock slam into Chris’s ass.

“Chris, I’m gonna…fuck, I’m gonna come,” he said in a rush as his orgasm overtook him. He came hard, stilling above Chris, groaning and hoping that Chris wasn’t looking at the no-doubt ridiculous expression on his face. But Chris’s eyes were closed, his face screwed up in concentration as he fisted frantically over his cock. Zach shifted slightly as Chris clenched around him, and he felt Chris grip his bicep tightly in response.

“Oh god. Zach, fuck…stay in me, stay…fuck…” Zach pulled out slightly and pressed in again, wincing at the pressure on his sensitive dick, but it was all worth it as he watched Chris thrash beneath him, stroking himself a few more times before he arched his back and came with a groaning curse.

Zach pulled out slowly and collapsed against Chris’s side, burying his face in the mattress as they caught their breaths. When he could breathe again, he turned his head to the side to find his lips almost touching Chris’s ear.

“Good?” he asked softly.

Chris nodded, his earlobe brushing against Zach’s lips before he turned to meet him in a kiss. “Yeah.”

“Good,” Zach agreed, smiling into another gentle kiss before sitting up to drag himself off the futon.

Chris kept an appreciative eye on his naked form as he padded into the bathroom, then back out and across the room to pull two pillows and a comforter out of his closet. Chris propped himself up on his elbows as he walked back. “It’s okay if I stay?” he asked hesitantly.

Zach rolled his eyes. “Of course.” He picked up his discarded t-shirt and swiped it over Chris’s sticky chest before tossing it aside and pulling the comforter over them. Chris twisted up onto his side and grinned down at Zach.

“What?” Zach asked, suspicious.

Chris shrugged and ran a hand over Zach’s chest. “You’re still you.”

“God, don’t say that,” Zach groaned, putting a hand over his eyes.

“Why not?”

“Because I’ve spent the last three years working my ass off to _not_ be the same person that I was when you knew me.”

“Ha. You’re not the only one.”

“It didn’t work, I guess?” he asked, peering at Chris through his fingers.

“Maybe it worked for everyone else. But I can see through to your inner geek.”

“Can you?”

“Yep. It’s blazing out at me. I need sunglasses to shield myself from the blinding light of your nerditude.”

“Fucker,” Zach said, chuckling against Chris’s lips as he kissed Zach softly on the mouth. “Go to sleep. Don’t you have a beauty pageant or something tomorrow?”

“It’s a fashion show, asshole,” Chris said, but he let his head drop onto the pillow and he snuggled in under the covers.

“Whatever, I knew it was something gay,” Zach murmured, and Chris could still hear the smile playing on his lips.

“You’re gay,” Chris retorted sleepily.

“Astute observation. I look forward to your next insight.”

“You suck.”

“Keep ‘em comin’.”

“I’m going to sleep.”

“Sweet dreams, my prince.”

“You’re so weird.”

*

Chris came awake in the darkness to the touch of Zach’s lips on his temple. He stretched back against him and smiled. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Zach said, propping himself up on an elbow.

“I just had the weirdest dream.”

“Oh yeah? What was it about?”

“I dreamt that I was a total douchebag and I dumped you when I went to college and then you went and got all hot.”

“What a terrible nightmare.”

“Yeah. Except then we met again years later, and I seduced you with my charm and good looks.”

“Mmmm, that would never happen,” Zach said, tracing the line of Chris’s jaw with a fingertip.

“Yeah, I know. That’s how I knew it was a dream.”

“Does that mean it’s 1997 right now? Bodacious.” He ran his finger around the shell of Chris’s ear, pausing over his earlobe. “Speaking of 1997, did you have an _earring_?”

Chris chuckled. “For like a month, yeah.”

“What happened?”

“It looked stupid and it hurt.”

Zach laughed and kissed his ear. “You’re still you,” he whispered.

Chris craned his neck to look at him. “Was there any doubt?”

“I’ll admit to having a small doubt when you asked me to fuck you,” he said with a grin. “I seem to remember you curling your lip in disgust at the very idea of anything attached to me going anywhere near your ass.”

Chris curled his lip and Zach laughed. He slid his hand around to run his fingertips over Chris’s chest. Chris hummed contentedly and dropped his head back onto the pillow.

“Did you love Michael?” he asked, breaking the silence that had fallen.

Zach’s hand stilled for a second, then resumed its motions over Chris’s skin. “Yeah. Kinda hard to stay with someone for three years if you don’t love them, I’d imagine.”

Chris nodded.

“What about you?” Zach asked. “Boyfriends?”

Chris shrugged, avoiding Zach’s eyes.

“Convention hookups?”

Chris gave him a look out of the corner of his eye and smirked. “You kidding me? Everyone who goes to those things is a total geek.”

“Oh right. For a second there I forgot how cool you are now.”

“Yeah, well. Don’t let it happen again.”

They lay for a moment in silence before Chris turned toward him, and Zach caught a glimpse of desperation in his eyes before he buried his face in Zach’s neck, mouthing silent words against his skin. Zach found his mouth in the darkness, and Chris could have lost himself in the gentle play of lips and tongue if desire hadn’t swiftly had them both wanting more.

Zach slid his hand down Chris’s chest, just brushing his erection with a thumb as he slipped his hand between Chris’s legs and touched tentative fingertips to his entrance. His ass was still slick with lube, and he made an encouraging sound against Zach’s mouth, and Zach’s fingers slid easily inside. Fuck, he loved this, feeling Chris all hot and slick around him, crooking his fingers to press in harder, scissoring and sliding against his tight asshole. He was breathing hard, and so was Chris, they were barely kissing anymore, just breathing hot air across each other’s lips.

“Chris, fuck, I want…I think I want…yeah, you know what-“

He slid his fingers out and Chris made a sound of protest, but he parted his legs eagerly when Zach scooted down between them, and the next thing he felt was Zach’s tongue probing lightly at his throbbing hole.

“Zach, oh my god, what the-“ Chris started, but his words turned to incomprehensible moans as Zach licked sloppily at him, nuzzling up into his balls, just fucking licking everywhere he could as Chris squirmed beneath him in reluctant pleasure. Zach was dizzy with the taste and smell of Chris, he wanted more, so he spread Chris open with his thumbs and plunged his tongue inside. Chris keened and clenched around him, and Zach tightened his grip on Chris’s thighs, pressing forward to lick deeper into him, every spasm of Chris’s muscles going straight to his dick. He stabbed his tongue in a few more frantic times before he had to pull out, had to push two fingers into Chris instead and slide up to grab Chris’s cock with his other hand so he could pull the tip into his mouth and suck.

“Oh god, Zach,” Chris moaned, bucking his hips to thrust into Zach’s mouth. Zach had been sure he’d forgotten, but fuck if this wasn’t familiar, the feel of Chris’s cock against his tongue, his taste, the way Chris’s fingers twisted in his hair. “Zach, you have to stop, god, if you wanna-“

Zach pulled off quickly, but a second later Chris arched his back and muttered “shit,” as he spurted messy ropes of jizz across his stomach.

“Fuck, sorry, tried to stop,” Chris panted, but Zach was too busy slamming a condom onto his dick to care. He wrapped two fingers around the base of his cock as he lined up and pushed into Chris’s slick hole. Thrust once, twice, and then he was coming, his hand slipping against Chris’s hip as he shook with the force of his orgasm.

“Oh fuck,” he groaned. “Fucking hell that was fast.” He pulled out slowly and pulled the condom off, then he leaned down, seeking out Chris’s mouth.

Chris wrenched his face away before Zach could get too close. “Are you fucking kidding me, you just had your tongue in my ass!”

Zach chuckled, then pressed his lips to Chris’s cheek, then his tongue, licking a damp trail across his jaw and sucking gently at his neck.

“Ah fuck,” Chris muttered, grabbing Zach by the hair to pull him up for a deep, open-mouthed kissed.

Chris’s fingers tightened against his scalp the first time Zach tried to pull away, and the second time he lost the kiss in the curve of his smile at Chris’s newfound eagerness.

“Not too bad, huh?” he whispered against Chris’s mouth.

“Ungh.”

Zach chuckled. “Right? Fuck. I never did that before.”

Chris pulled Zach up by his hair to stare at him. “Shut up.”

Zach blushed. “I’m serious. I always thought it was kind of gross.”

“Wow. I feel special.”

“What about you?”

“What do you think?”

“I don’t know. You never got that drunk?”

“Funny. Jerk. Okay, one time this guy tried to do it to me and I freaked the fuck out. So, uh. No.”

“Well. I feel special, then.”

Chris stroked his fingers lightly against the back of Zach’s neck, not trusting himself to respond.

*

Zach opened his eyes to find weak morning light flooding through his windows and Chris sitting on the side of the futon, pulling his sneakers on.

“Hey,” Chris said when he noticed Zach watching. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you.”

“S’okay,” Zach said, propping himself up on an elbow.

Chris looked at him for a second. “Come to the con today.”

Zach flushed a little and looked away. “I, uh, haven’t been to a con in a while,” he confessed. “Since the last one we went to together, in Vegas.”

“Well. You should come today. People ask about you all the time.”

“What, really? People I know?”

“Yeah. Remember Tasha?”

“Tasha…that annoying chick who totally had a crush on you?”

Chris rolled his eyes. “She did not, but I’m totally telling her you said that. Actually, it’s kind of cute – she’s dating that guy Jeff – the Borg, remember? They’re pretty serious.”

“You see her a lot or something?”

“Um, yeah. Kind of a crazy story actually – she transferred to Berkeley my sophomore year.”

“Shut up.”

“I’m serious. The first time I saw her on campus, I actually injured myself trying to avoid her. Seriously, I kind of dove into this bush and ended up breaking my finger. But then we ended up having a class together and we kind of became…well, friends, actually.”

“Wow. That’s…crazy.”

“Yeah. Who would have thought I’d end up being friends with a _girl_?” Chris said, grinning.

“So, did she ever ask about…I mean, what did you tell her-“

“About you?” Chris blushed and looked down at his feet. “First I just told her we broke up. Then a while later she kind of confronted me about one of the …douchier guys I was seeing, and yeah. I _may_ have ended up crying into my beer and spilling my guts about ruining the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” He hazarded a glance at Zach. “That was you, by the way.”

Zach pushed himself all the way up, reached out a hand to pull Chris in for a kiss, a light brush of their lips.

“Come to the con,” Chris murmured, and Zach smiled at his persistence and whispered, “We’ll see.”

*

When Zach woke up again, Chris was gone. He stayed in bed for a few minutes, breathing in the smells of jizz and cologne and letting the memories of the night before come back in fits and starts. Chris’s fingers in his hair, lips and tongue and bright eyes and hot friction surrounding his fingers and his cock as he plunged into him and made him moan. An old, hot anger flared for a moment, but it was too late, he was hard and all he could think about were the soft words said and unsaid in the darkness, and he sat up, the blanket suddenly stifling. His eyes fell on the coffee table, and a hot flush crept across his cheeks as he noticed the VIP pass that Chris had set there. There was Post-it note stuck to it, and he leaned forward to read the simple message that Chris had scrawled in black marker - < b > Go. < /b >

Zach rolled his eyes even as his heart did a little flip in his chest.

What a fucking geek.

*

“Chris. Chris. CHRIS!”

Chris felt a sharp jab in his side as Dolores poked him. “What?!” He lifted his head from his arms and scowled at her.

“Can I have a fry?”

“Yes, have a fucking fry. Have all the fries, I don’t care.” He pushed his plastic container of decimated hamburger and fries across the table towards her and leaned his chair back on two legs. They were in a back hallway of the convention center, killing time as they waited for a panel to finish so they could set up for the fashion show.

“You are so spaced out today,” Dolores told him. “God, I thought Marcy was going to, like, demote you. You couldn’t seem to follow a single instruction she was giving.” Marcy was the fashion show coordinator and the reason they were hiding in a back hallway.

“She can’t demote me. No one else wants to be the emcee. Trust me, I already tried to get out of it.”

“Oh please, you know you love it.”

“I do enjoy watching your sexy ass sashay down the runway.”

“Bullshit.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Your ass does nothing for me. Sorry, Dolores.”

“It’s okay. Really.”

His eyes flicked over her costume and up to her impressive Yeoman Rand hairdo. “I still can’t get over your hair though. Soooo much better than last time.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.”

Chris grinned at her and was turning to reach for a fry, when he spotted someone at the end of the hall.

“Holy crap,” he murmured, as he watched Zach walk toward them. “I can’t believe he actually came.”

He stood up as Zach got closer, until they were standing a few feet apart.

“Hey,” Zach said, flashing him a shy smile.

“Hey. Wow. I, uh. I really didn’t think you’d show.”

Zach shrugged, and they looked at each other awkwardly for a long second, before stepping forward simultaneously. Chris went for a casual one-armed hug, but Zach wrapped his arms around Chris’s waist for a quick squeeze, and they pulled apart, smiling at the floor.

“Um. Zach, this is Dolores,” Chris said, gesturing to where she was sitting and grinning at the two of them. “Dolores, this is Zach.”

She flashed him a pretty smile and the Vulcan salute. “Nice to meet you, Lieutenant Commander.”

“You’ve heard of me,” he said, turning to raise an eyebrow at Chris.

Chris looked down, blushing furiously. “Um. Your name may have come up once or twice.”

The door to the conference room opened and a familiar high-pitched voice said, “Hey Chris, Marcy’s going to kick your ass if you don’t start getting – holy SHIT, is that Lieutenant-Commander Zach?!”

“Hey Tasha,” Zach said, smiling warmly at her. He looked back at Chris. “I’m never going to escape that name, am I?”

“No, probably not,” Chris told him with a grin. “So, um. I kind of have to get ready…”

“No, yeah. It’s cool. Um. Can I watch? I mean, the fashion show? I mean, where…”

“Oh, yeah, of course, right. Uh, it starts at 4:00. In the main conference room. I think you have to go...” Chris gestured vaguely down the hall, not really wanting to take his eyes off of Zach.

“Okay,” Zach said, not even looking where Chris was pointing. “I’ll, uh, just do that. Go there.”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah.”

They stared at each other for another few seconds before Tasha tugged on Chris’s arm. “Seriously, Chris. Marcy’s going to flip.”

“Oh. Right. I gotta go, Zach.”

“Okay. I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah. Watch me, okay? I’m going to be funny.”

“I’m sure you are.”

Chris grinned at him as he tried to follow Tasha, and only narrowly missed crashing into the door frame before Zach finally turned to head down the hall.

  
“Oh my god, Chris, tell me exactly what just happened,” Tasha hissed as the door closed behind them. “I thought he stood you up! When did you see him, oh my god, Chris, did you, like, _get with him_ , I thought he was mad, was he mad, he didn’t seem mad.”

“Tasha, Jesus Christ! Shut up for one second so I can tell you!”

Tasha shut her mouth, and Chris shook his head. “I can’t tell you.”

“WHAT?!”

“Okay, fine, I’ll tell you.” He took a deep breath. “I kind of stayed at his place last night.”

“Oh my god, are you fucking kidding me? Are you serious? You’re kidding. Are you serious?”

“I’m serious.”

“Oh my god! And he wasn’t mad or anything?”

“Um, yeah. He was mad. He was actually pretty bitter. But. I guess we kind of hashed it out, and…you know. Yadda yadda yadda.”

“Is he single?”

“God, yes, he’s single, come on, what kind of guy do you think I am?”

“Um, I think you’re the kind of guy who would-“

“You know what,” Chris said, cutting her off. “Don’t answer that.” He scrubbed his hands over his face and slumped against the wall with a moan. “Fuck, this is so bad.”

“Why is it bad?”

“Because…I don’t know, it was just so _good_ , and it’s like, what if it’s just a thing, you know, what if it was just a one time deal and now he’s over it. Or, what if he’s secretly still really pissed and he’s just fucking with me?”

“He’s here, isn’t he?”

“Yeah. I know. That’s a good sign, I guess.”

“Did you tell him about the job-“

“No. Not yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because. I just don’t want to jinx it, you know?”

“Okay. But you should tell him.”

“I will.”

“Alright, come on. Let’s get you buttered up.”

*

Despite his VIP pass, Zach stood in the back of the auditorium to watch the fashion show. The lights dimmed, and Zach felt a strange flutter of nerves in the pit of his stomach. A lone spotlight appeared onstage, and Chris stepped out into it – dressed as Khan. The crowd broke into thunderous applause, and Zach clamped his hands over his mouth – whether to prevent himself from laughing or hyperventilating, he wasn’t sure. Chris looked amazing, and Zach was sure he’d made the remarkably accurate costume himself. The atrocious wig and unnaturally shiny chest, Zach wasn’t so sure about, but it was _Chris_ , and the combined effect was strangely attractive. He felt his nerves settle as the show went on, slowly replaced by surprise at how comfortable Chris seemed up on stage, then admiration at the ease with which he dropped one-liners that had the audience exploding in laughter. He barely noticed the actual fashion show itself, his eyes always flicking back to Chris, even when he was just waiting on the side of the stage.

When the show finally wound to a close, Zach pushed against the crowd, heading for the stage. He was up on it in one jump, jogging into the back to find Chris pulling his wig off, throwing his head back to laugh at something Dolores was saying. “God, I know,” he was saying, still squinting with laughter. “I’m sorry, but something isn’t working when I can’t figure out if you’re supposed to be dressed as a Talaxian or a Ferengi.” Dolores gave a loud laugh and Zach had to stifle a chuckle himself. “At least there weren’t any- oh,” Chris said, his words catching in his throat as he caught sight of Zach watching him. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Zach couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face. “You were awesome up there,” he told him, meaning it.

Chris blushed and looked down at the floor bashfully. “Thanks.”

Dolores glanced between the two of them. “Well, I’d better get going. I’ll see you at the costume workshop tomorrow, Chris. It was nice to meet you, Lieutenant-Commander.”

“Uh-huh,” said Zach, not taking his eyes off Chris as Dolores slipped away. “You look pretty good without the wig,” Zach said with a grin. “Your chest is so…shiny.”

“Yeah,” Chris said, “um, it’s actually butter, by the way, so you might not wanna-“

Zach ignored the warning and pressed himself up against Chris, sliding a hand to the back of his head and kissing him hard.

“Or,” Chris panted against Zach’s mouth, “you could just do that.” He parted his lips to suck on Zach’s tongue, and the little grunts Zach was making into his mouth went straight to his stiffening cock.

Zach slipped a hand in between them to tease his thumb over one of Chris’s nipples, then slid his hand down Chris’s buttery chest to rub his knuckles across the trail of hair below his belly button. “You’re so fuckin’ hot and slippery,” Zach breathed.

“Mm-hmm,” Chris agreed. “Like a sexy muffin.”

Zach snorted a little laugh against Chris’s stomach as he dropped to his knees. He looked up as he worked at Chris’s fly, and Chris felt dizzy with the rush of blood to his groin. Zach unfastened Chris’s pants and slid his aching cock through the slit in his boxers, circling his hand loosely around his length before pulling the tip to his mouth and sucking gently. Chris moaned and tipped his head back as Zach fluttered his tongue against the head, gripping and stroking the shaft at the same time. He reached his other hand up to slide it against Chris’s chest, which was hot but a little strange, then Chris gasped as Zach slid his hand up under his boxers and rubbed a greased-up finger down his crack.

“Zach, nngh…yes,” Chris panted, squeezing his eyes shut, waiting… Zach pressed into him, all slick and eager, fingering Chris’s twitching hole until he spilled down Zach’s throat with an unintelligible grunt.

Zach stood up quickly, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.

“Did you come?” Chris panted.

“No,” Zach said, fumbling with the button of his own jeans. “Touch me.”

Chris moaned and reached down to wrap a sure hand around Zach’s cock, jacking him hard and fast the way he liked it – the way he used to like it, at least, and apparently that much hadn’t changed, because Zach was pressing his forehead to Chris’s shoulder and thrusting into Chris’s fist and spurting all over Chris’s hand in seconds.

Zach’s hands were shaking as he reached up to clutch at Chris’s hair, mashing their lips together for a lengthy kiss. Chris’s tongue curled around his like it belonged there, and he licked deeper into Chris’s mouth until he couldn’t breathe. He trailed sloppy, possessive kisses along Chris’s jaw, reveling in the light stubble he found there, in the way Chris arched his neck and pressed into his lips. When he finally had to pull away, he had the courtesy to look chagrined.

“I gotta go,” Zach said, catching his breath.

“What?” Chris asked, his brain still swirling in a post-orgasmic, sexy make-out haze.

“Yeah, I gotta go to this thing.”

“A thing?”

Zach nodded, idly stroking his thumb across Chris’s cheekbone. “I’d invite you, but a bunch of Michael’s friends are gonna be there, so…”

Chris gave him a weak smile and pulled away. “No, yeah, it’s cool. No problem.”

Zach looked at him, as if making sure he was telling the truth. “Can we get coffee tomorrow though? Or are you busy with con stuff all day?”

“I can get coffee. What time?”

“Let’s meet at 11:00. At Starbucks.”

“11:00 at Starbucks,” Chris said, nodding. “You gotta show up this time, though, Zach.”

Zach smiled and gave Chris a kiss on the tip of his nose. “I’ll be there.”

*

Chris gave Zach 45 minutes before he called. He pressed the phone harder against his ear as it rang a third and fourth time.

“Chris.”

“Please tell me that you overslept or that the subway isn’t running or that you encountered a hostile alien species or _something_.”

Zach was silent.

“You’re fucking kidding me.”

“Chris…”

“Are you serious?” Chris felt his face go hot and he clutched the phone a little tighter and tried to remember to breathe. His voice went flat. “Jesus, Zach. I really thought- but yeah, fuck, obviously, I’m such an _idiot_.”

“What-“

“I mean, I actually thought it, for one second the other night, I thought maybe you were fucking with me, getting me all worked up, reminding me, just so you could turn around and show me how much it hurt. But then I was like, no, he wouldn’t do that. But apparently you would.”

“Chris, I-“

“Stop it! Just- stop fucking saying my name, okay?” His voice was all high now like he was about to cry, even though he totally wasn’t. “Thanks for the life lesson, Zach. Like I didn’t already know how it felt. And now you get to find out what it feels like to be the asshole.” He swallowed down a million other things that he hadn’t gotten the chance to say. “Bye, Zach.”

He was pretty sure Zach said his name again as he hung up the phone.

*

Chris’s mood hadn’t improved by the time his convention obligations finally wound to a close. He stalked quickly through the convention center toward the hotel, avoiding eye contact, intent on going straight back to his room, ripping his costume off, and drinking the entire contents of the mini-bar. Except, not really, because he was totally cheap, so more likely he’d end up going up to Jeff’s room and mooching off any leftover booze from last night’s party. Life sucked.

He was almost to the elevators before he glanced something out of the corner of the eye that made him stop in his tracks. Zach was sitting on a couch in the lobby, elbows on his knees, looking anxiously toward the main doors. Chris recognized Zach’s jacket right away as part of the uniform he’d made for him, even though he was now wearing it open over a black t-shirt and jeans. But it wasn’t until Zach ran a hand through his hair that Chris noticed the oversized, plastic Vulcan ears. He smothered a grin as he circled around the couch and took a seat next to Zach, not looking at him.

“Wow. You broke out the big guns.”

Zach glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “I just dropped ninety bucks on these, so this had better work.”

“Ah, so you went with the cheap ones. I see how it is.” Chris smiled a little and looked over.

Zach could feel Chris’s eyes on him, and he swallowed nervously. “I wasn’t fucking with you.”

Chris felt something inside of him unclench, and he nodded once. “Okay.”

“When I saw you the other night, I didn’t know…I had no idea what to expect. I thought maybe we’d have an awkward drink together and that would be that, you know?”

Another nod.

“And I just got out of a relationship, and-“

“Zach.”

“What?”

“Tell me why you stood me up this morning, and then skip to the part where you ask me to take you upstairs and ravish your Vulcan ass. And if that’s not what this is about, then at least buy me a fucking drink.”

“Just, I don’t know, everything came flooding back and-“ Zach stopped, looked at Chris, and swallowed dryly. “You want to ravish my Vulcan ass?” he asked, like he didn’t quite believe what he’d heard.

Chris gave him a “duh” look and motioned for him to continue.

“I just…fuck, Chris, I fucking want you, okay, and it’s just like before and I…I forgot how much it hurts when you leave.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “I just didn’t want to put myself through that again.”

Chris nodded and picked at his cuticle.

“So. What time do you check out?”

“Saturday.”

“Satur…wait, what?”

Chris looked at him sideways, the corner of his mouth curving up in a smile. “Yeah. Actually I, uh…I have a few job interviews lined up this week.”

Zach gaped at him in surprise. “Why didn’t you tell me, asshole?”

“You really know how to woo a guy, you know that?” Chris said. Zach gave him a shove that sent him sideways onto the couch cushions. Chris sat up grinning, but Zach actually looked kind of pissed. “I’m sorry, okay? I just, I didn’t want to jinx anything and – okay, this is kinda stupid, but…I didn’t want you to think it was because of you. ‘Cause it’s totally not.”

“Totally not.”

“Not at all.”

“Not one iota,” Zach deadpanned, and Chris felt a rush of heat in his belly.

“You’re a raging dork, you know that?”

Zach laughed. “That’s why you l…um…” He coughed into his hand and looked away.

Chris watched him for a few seconds. “I do, you know. I don’t think I ever stopped.”

Zach shook his head. “Chris…”

“No, I’m serious. Do you know how many times I almost said those words to you the other night?”

Zach looked at him.

“Like, five times. I kept track.”

“Chris, I don’t know if I can- What? Why are you grinning?”

“I’m sorry, Zach, I cannot take you seriously right now. I mean, Jesus, have you _seen_ those ears?”

“You are such a fucker, Chris! God, I’m trying to tell you something serious, here, and you just…” Zach couldn’t help himself, his mouth curving up to match Chris’s grin, and he looked away and laughed. “I hate you.”

“You don’t.”

“Yes, I do. I hate you.”

Chris stood up and offered Zach a hand. “Come on. You can tell me all about how much you hate me while I’m taking your pants off in the elevator.”

“I really hate you.”

Chris tugged him up from the couch and into a hug. “You don’t hate me.”

“Yes I do,” Zach said softly in his ear. “I fucking hate you for making me love you again.”

Chris closed his eyes with something like relief, and he tightened his embrace. “Zach?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you please take the ears off now? They look absolutely ridiculous.”

“I’m leaving them on”.

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am,” Zach said, dropping his arms so he could point a finger into Chris’s chest. “I’m leaving them on, and you’re going to fuck me with them on. AND-“

“No, Zach…”

“Yes. You are going to call me Lieutenant-Commander.”

“Fuck you,” Chris groaned.

“Fuck you, _Lieutenant-Commander_ ,” Zach corrected, dragging Chris toward the elevators. As they waited for the doors to open, Zach wrapped his arms around Chris’s shoulders again, pulling him in for a kiss. Chris rubbed his thumb over Zach’s plastic ear.

“Aww, look,” someone next to them exclaimed. “Trekkies in love!”

Chris and Zach broke their kiss to respond together.

“Trekk _ **ers**_!”


	4. Trekkies in Love 4: The Motion Picture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris and Zach see Star Trek XI together in 2009.

Zach stretched out on the couch and wondered idly if maybe he should start getting ready. Late afternoon sunlight streamed in through the windows of the apartment, and he could hear Chris in the bedroom, by the sound of it emptying the contents of his closet onto the bed in a fit of sartorial frustration. But Noah was nestled contentedly between his legs and he felt lazy and comfortable – plus he'd already decided on an outfit – so he figured he could spare a few more minutes before he got up.

He grabbed a nearby magazine and was flipping slowly through the pages when Noah lifted his head, suddenly alert, his ears twitching. He gave a little whimper and jumped off the couch, and Zach cocked an eyebrow as he watched the dog’s fuzzy gray butt wriggle under the coffee table and out of sight. If Zach didn’t know better, that meant – yep, there it was, the opening lines of “Single Ladies”, faint at first, then louder as Chris turned up the volume on the iPod speakers in the bedroom.

“Smart move,” he muttered to Noah, but he propped himself up on his elbows and waited for the show.

Sure enough, Chris appeared in the doorway of the bedroom seconds later, clinging dramatically to the doorframe and making sure Zach was watching before launching himself into a series of Beyonce-style dance moves as he sashayed down the hall. Zach watched tolerantly, wincing a little as Chris segued into some sort of painful-looking flailing motion. But then he was swiveling his hips and stretching his toned arms up above his head, and Zach had to admit that he wasn’t entirely unmoved by the performance. He let his eyes linger on Chris’s ass as he ground up against the bookshelf like it was a stripper pole and felt himself flush as a low hum of arousal coursed through him at the sight. He had to work to force the smile from his face when Chris finally flopped onto his lap, bright-eyed and grinning.

“Hey, baby,” he panted, settling himself with his legs on either side of Zach.

“Every time I look away, you get gayer, I swear to god.”

Chris beamed at him and leaned down to look into his eyes. “You love me.”

“Despite my best intentions.”

Chris sat back up and pointed to his hand. “So are you gonna put a ring on this bitch or what?”

“Chris, there’s already a ring on it.”

“No, there’s not,” Chris said, sticking up his naked ring finger defiantly.

“Yes, there is. It’s called our apartment, and Noah, and living together for the last six years. What more do you want?”

“Um. A ring,” Chris said, pouting.

Zach ran his hands up Chris’s thighs to distract him, and changed the subject. “Are you ready to go yet?”

“Do I look even at all in the slightest bit ready to go?”

Zach took in Chris’s ripped jeans and worn Starfleet Academy t-shirt. “You look good to me,” he said with a shrug, reaching up to trace the logo with a fingertip. The shirt had long ago faded from black to gray, there were holes at the collar, and the hem was frayed. Zach loved giving Chris a hard time about it, or he had until Chris actually tried to get rid of the shirt during a particularly enthusiastic spring cleaning. When Zach had noticed that it was going in the donation bag, he’d yanked it from Chris’s hands in dismay, clutched it to his chest, and made Chris promise to keep it forever.

Zach smiled at the memory before he turned to more serious matters. “So remind me then, what _have_ you been doing this whole time?”

“I’m getting _hyped up_ , duh.”

“Uh huh. How’s that working for you?”

“I’m freaking out, Zach.” Chris pressed a hand to his chest. “My heart is racing. Is it possible to die of excitement?”

“Some people snort coke. Chris Pine ODs on Star Trek.”

“Star Trek and Beyonce. And two Red Bulls,” Chris clarified.

Zach chuckled and nudged Chris off of his lap. “Come on, Speedy. Go change.”

“Alright, alright,” Chris sighed, climbing off the couch and heading for the bedroom. Five seconds later he was back, looking down at Zach with an expression of despair on his face. “What should I wear?”

“If you’re really going to ask _me_ that question, I think you know the answer.”

“Zach, I don’t think leather pants are really the most appropriate outfit for a movie screening.”

“Oh come on,” Zach pleaded, “you looked _so good_ when you wore them at the party!”

Chris smirked. “I did look good, didn’t I?” For a second he almost looked like he was considering it, but then he came back to reality, shaking his head. “I can’t sit down in those things. They squeeze my junk. You know what I mean?” he asked, leaning over the back of the sofa. “Because _my penis is so big_ ,” he added in a mock-whisper.

“You’re incorrigible,” Zach said, rolling his eyes.

“Compensating for something with those _big words_ , are we Zachary?” he asked with a mischievous grin.

Zach swatted at him and scrambled off the couch.

“Sometimes I miss the little geeky Chris I once knew,” he said mournfully as he trailed after Chris down the hall. “Before you got all cocky. You know, when you were all ‘Oh Zach, I think I might be gay because I’m in love with Captain Kirk’,” he imitated in a squeaky voice.

“Oh shut up.”

Zach put his hands on his cheeks in an expression of shock. “’You put your _mouth_ on my _penis_ , oh my god, who _does_ that?’”

“Quit it!”

“And what is _up_ with _girls_ -“

“Zach!” Too late Zach noticed that Chris was frowning, a dark blush creeping up his cheeks. “I really fucking hate it when you make fun of me like that.”

“Oh come on, Chris, it was cute!”

“It was a very traumatizing and embarrassing point in my life,” Chris said, stomping into the bathroom. Zach followed before he could slam the door.

“Hey, I’m sorry. Babe. I’m sorry, okay?” He meant it, and he watched the mirror for signs that Chris would forgive him, but Chris’s arms were crossed tightly across his chest and he still looked pissed. “Hey, c’mere,” Zach said, sliding his arms around Chris’s waist. “I love you.” He could feel Chris’s eyes on him, his muscles loosening as he relaxed a little into Zach’s embrace. Zach pressed his face into Chris’s neck, squeezed his arms and breathed deeply.

“What are you doing?”

Zach pulled himself out of it, opening his eyes and raising his head enough to give Chris a peck on the cheek. “Sorry,” he said, forcing himself to loosen his grip on Chris’s middle. “Sometimes I just get…really happy.”

Chris turned to meet his eyes, a serious expression on his face. “Me too.”

Zach caught his lips in a kiss and squeezed him again. He slid a hand into Chris’s hair, holding him close as their tongues grappled, sliding his other hand up under Chris’s t-shirt to rub lightly across his abs. He hummed appreciatively and risked a glance into the mirror. Chris’s head was twisted around, his eyes half-closed as they deepened the kiss, his t-shirt riding up a little so Zach could see the trail of fuzz where his fingers stroked along Chris’s belly. Fuck, he looked good.

“Fuck, you look good,” he murmured, reaching down a little farther to tug at the button of Chris’s jeans.

“Wait-”

“I’m just helping you change.”

“We’re gonna be late,” Chris said, but he was arching back against Zach’s chest, his protests losing steam as Zach slid his zipper down.

“Heaven forbid,” Zach whispered against Chris’s skin. “We might only be two hours early instead of three.” He pulled his lips away abruptly and lifted his head, catching Chris’s eye in the mirror. “Yeah, you know what, you’re right. We probably shouldn’t.”

Chris clutched at Zach’s hand, and together they shoved his jeans and boxers down over his hips, his stiffening cock now visible in the mirror.

Zach brushed warm, sure fingers over Chris’s shaft, but his eyes were drawn Chris’s mouth, to the pink tongue darting out to lick at plush, gorgeous lips. He worked his own fly open, breathing a sigh of relief as his erection made contact with Chris’s bare ass.

“Yeah,” Chris whispered, tipping his head back against Zach’s shoulder. “Fuck me, Zach.”

Zach nipped at his earlobe. “I’m not going to fuck you. You’re about to sit though a two-hour long movie, you masochist.”

Chris groaned, his eyes hooded with desire as he watched Zach’s fingers curl around his dick, stroking him teasingly, thumbing over his slit before sliding down again to set a steady rhythm. Chris turned his head, forgoing the sight in favor of sucking Zach’s tongue into his mouth and moaning against his lips. He lost his focus as Zach jacked him faster, his eyes fluttering shut, and it was all he could do to breathe damply against Zach’s mouth. Zach’s eyes were glued to the mirror as he watched his fist flying over Chris’s cock, and he stifled a moan as Chris came, writhing against him and coating his fingers in jizz.

Zach grabbed at Chris’s hips, thrusting slickly against his ass, clenching his jaw at the effort it took not to bend him over and fuck him like he’d asked. But Chris must have understood, because he turned in Zach’s arms and dropped to his knees to impale his mouth on Zach’s dick, sucking and slobbering and gazing up at Zach, tugging at his hips in an unmistakable invitation. Zach shuddered with desire as looked down at Chris, at those spit-slick lips around his cock. He ran a hand through Chris’s hair before he gripped it, held him steady, and fucked into his mouth.

“Oh god,” he groaned, pressing in as far as he dared and then pulling back to thrust again. He could feel Chris’s tongue against the underside of his cock and the hot, wet pressure of Chris’s mouth surrounding him. “Feels so good, Chris,” and yeah, they weren’t going to be late because he was already gone, panting out a ragged “fuuuuck,” as he slammed into Chris’s mouth and came in shuddering spasms down his throat.

He sagged back against the counter as Chris stood up, wiping his mouth. “Good, right?”

“Fuck yeah,” Zach agreed, closing his eyes as he fought the urge to drag Chris back to the bedroom for round two – or maybe for a nap, he wasn’t quite sure.

Chris seemed to feel the same way, since he was wrapping his arms around Zach and nuzzling sleepily into his shoulder. Zach returned the hug, kissing him lightly on the temple.

“’m sorry about what I said,” he murmured. “I wasn’t making fun of you. You know I found your sexual insecurities very endearing at the time.”

“S’okay. I know you like to remember yourself as a worldly, experienced sex god and not the awkward, anal-retentive nerd you really were. Although, you did have a fucking amazing mouth. Made my brain go all fuzzy.”

“Why is that in the past tense?”

“Sorry. The awkward, anal-retentive nerd you really _are_.”

“Ha ha.”

“You do still have a very sexy mouth though. You can put it on my penis any time you want to and I won’t even say it’s weird.”

“You’re very kind.”

Chris grinned at him and Zach leaned forward to bump their foreheads together. “Come on. Let’s get ready.”

“No round two?”

“No. This is not a con panel - we’re not ‘accidentally’ skipping this screening because of sex.”

“What if it’s really good-“

“Chris.” Zach gripped him by the shoulders. “I would not miss tonight for the greatest, most mind-blowing orgasm ever known to man.”

Chris raised an eyebrow. “Wow, dude,” he muttered. “You _really_ like Star Trek.”

Zach changed into dark jeans, a button-down shirt, and a suit jacket, and after only slightly more deliberation, Chris followed his lead.

“I still say we should have gone in costume,” he said, pouting as he pulled on his jacket.

“What shoes should I wear?” Zach asked, ignoring him.

“The brown ones.”

“What? No. Why would I wear brown shoes?”

“Zach, who knows more about fashion in this house?”

“Chris, for the millionth time, interning for Vogue for _one summer_ does not make you a fashion expert.” He leaned down to pick up a pair of shoes. “Do these meet your approval?”

Chris had no choice but to nod. “Chuck Taylors are timeless and go with everything,” he sighed.

“Thank you.”

“But I’m wearing brown shoes.”

Zach peeked into the kitchen, grimacing as he saw Chris grab another Red Bull out of the fridge. “Hey, I’ll be ready in a sec, okay? I think I want to put on a tie.”

“A tie? Really?” Chris looked Zach over, letting his eyes linger longingly on Zach’s open collar. “Fine,” he conceded. “Not one of those skinny ones though.”

“Why not? Those are so hot right now.”

“ _You_ look pretty hot right _now_ , so if you’re going to mess with the look, please, just listen to me and don’t wear a fucking skinny tie?”

“Yes, fashion guru,” Zach said, a small smile creeping onto his face as he headed for the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, he walked casually back into the living room, his face hot with anticipation. Chris glanced over at him. “You didn’t put on a tie.”

Zach turned deliberately, cocking his head to the side. The look of surprise on Chris’s face and the way he launched himself across the room into Zach’s arms were _totally_ worth the $500.

“Oh my god, Zach, I love you,” Chris was saying breathlessly, as he threw his arms around Zach’s neck. “I love you I love you I love you!”

“So you’ve mentioned.”

“Hey,” Chris said, pulling back with a little frown. “I thought you said no costumes!”

“Well, yeah,” Zach said, shrugging. “I just thought you might like it if I wore these.”

“I love it,” Chris confirmed, hugging him again. “Thank you. Your willingness to embarrass yourself in public for my sake means a lot to me.”

Zach chuckled. “No problem. Plus,” he added, his voice a low rumble in Chris’s ear, “I’m usually the one who benefits in the end.”

Chris bit lightly at the skin beneath Zach’s Vulcan ear and slid a hand down to his ass. “You’re about to benefit _in the end_ right now if I get my way, Lieutenant Commander,” he murmured.

Zach made an approving sound and kissed Chris on the cheek. “After the movie,” he told him. “I promise to make it worth your while.”

“It’s always worth my while,” Chris said, but he let Zach take his hand and pull him toward the door.

“Are we meeting Tasha and Jeff at the theater?” Zach asked as they stepped into the hall.

“Yeah. Tasha told me to call her when we left.” He pulled his phone out and dialed, walking a few steps down the hall as Zach locked the door behind them.

“Hey, Tasha. We’re heading out now. Yeah, we have the tickets.” He turned around and gestured to Zach, who was already rolling his eyes and unlocking the door. He grabbed the tickets from the middle of the table where Chris had left them, right next to the digital camera that Zach couldn’t believe he’d almost forgotten. He patted his pockets to make sure he had everything, and headed back out, locking the door behind him. He jogged down the hall to where Chris was waiting.

“That was close,” he said, shaking his head at Chris.

“Yeah. We ready now?”

“Ready as we’ll ever be.”

*

“Tasha!” Chris cried when he spotted her, jogging down the sidewalk to pull her into a hug. He stepped back to grin at her. “You excited?”

“Oh my god, Chris, have you been reading the reviews, I heard that they cut the scene with the Klingons, did you know that supposedly there’s this scene were Spock mmmff-“

Jeff put a gentle hand over her mouth, shaking his head apologetically at Chris. “Honey, maybe Chris _doesn’t_ want to know every single detail of the movie before he actually sees it.” He dropped his hand.

“Jeff has a crush on the chick who plays Uhura,” she informed Chris.

“Yeah?” Chris turned his grin on Jeff. “You gonna put her in your ‘spank bank’?” He laughed, backing up a step to avoid Jeff’s fake punch. “So, how are you guys?! It’s so awesome that you could come up for this. Man, when was the last time we saw you? Last summer?”

Tasha shook her head. “October, remember? Your party, what was it, the 4th or 5th …?”

“Right, of course, the 5th Annual George Takei Coming Out Party! God, that was an amazing weekend. I can’t believe I forgot you guys were here for that.”

“Yes, well, Tasha certainly didn’t forget about those leather pants you were wearing. She still talks about them.”

Tasha nodded eagerly, her face falling as she glanced at Chris’s jeans. “I was kinda hoping you’d be wearing them tonight, to be honest.”

“Sorry,” Chris said. “You and Zach can commiserate…” He turned around to the empty sidewalk behind him. “Um. Where did Zach go?”

  
They found Zach in line, shifting from foot to foot as he waited impatiently. “Come _on_ you guys, we have to get good seats.” He handed Chris the digital camera. “Here, take a picture of me with the poster.”

Chris accepted the camera dutifully and took a picture of Zach, then handed it to Jeff get a picture of the two of them. Jeff asked the next person in line to take a picture of all four of them, and Zach nearly had a conniption when he noticed that the guy was wearing a Star Wars t-shirt.

“Does he even know what this _is_?” Zach whispered furiously, the camera flashing in time to capture his scowl.

The line started moving, and Zach handed his ticket to the bored-looking teenager at the entrance. “Don’t rip it, please,” Zach requested politely.

“Um, I have to,” was the surly response.

“Well, I just kind of want to keep the ticket as a memento for my scrapbook, so if you could just _not_ rip it, that would be great.”

“Okay, well, the manager said we have to rip them. So people don’t try to sneak in.”

Zach could sense Chris tensing up at his side, but he ignored him. “Well, I’m not going to _give_ my ticket to anyone, if that’s what you’re asking, so just look at it, give it back to me, and don’t rip it.”

“Dude,” the kid said, raising an eyebrow. “It’s not that big a deal.” He ripped off the end of the ticket and handed it back to Zach.

Zach’s mouth dropped open as the kid shoved the mangled ticket into his hand. Chris took the opportunity to grab him firmly by the arm and pull him aside.

“Zach. Breathe,” Chris instructed.

Zach was clutching his hair and gaping at Chris like someone had just insulted his mother. “Chris, did you see-.”

“I know.”

“He…he…”

“Shh, yes, I know. We’ll write a strongly-worded letter to the theater when we get home and make him very sorry about his choices.”

Zach nodded and crossed his arms. “Fine.” He winced as he watched the kid rip Tasha and Jeff’s tickets, and they started down the hall to the theater. He glanced over at Chris, knowing he should drop it, but – “It’s just, he said it wasn’t a big deal, but it _is_ a big deal,” he said in a rush, gesturing wildly. “I mean, this is the first Star Trek movie since _Nemesis_ came out on December 13, 2002, and the first new Star Trek cast since _Enterprise_ premiered on September 26, 2001, not to mention Nimoy’s first Trek-related on-screen appearance since _Generations_ in ‘91, well, that and he guest-starred on two episodes of TNG that year, and-“

“Zach.” Chris stopped walking, took him by the shoulders, and gave him a shake. “Stop it. You’re being _that guy_.”

Zach blinked slowly, then rubbed a hand over his face. “Oh god. I was, wasn’t I?”

Chris nodded. “You were regressing a little. I had to intervene before you punched someone out for doing the ta’al with the thumb in.”

Zach gave him a look of horror and Chris patted his arm consolingly. “I know, baby, I know. Luckily, you don’t actually know how to punch someone, so I think we’ll be okay. Now come on. Let’s go get our seats.”

The atmosphere inside the theater crackled with excitement, and a hum of eager speculation filled the air. Zach’s stomach fluttered with a mixture of anticipation and nerves, and by the time the lights began to dim, he was running out of fingernails to chew on. He glanced over to see Chris squirming restlessly in his seat.

“Chris,” he whispered. “If you have to pee, you should probably go now.”

“I don’t have to pee,” Chris whispered back.

“Then what is wrong with you?”

“I am literally shaking with anticipation. And I’m thinking maybe I shouldn’t have had that third Red Bull.”

“I _told_ you. Look, you’re not going to try to talk to me during the movie, are you?”

“No.”

“Seriously, don’t talk during the movie, okay?”

“Yes, okay.”

“Promise.”

“Zach, I promise!”

“Okay. Are you _sure_ you don’t have to pee?”

“Yes, I’m sure, but it doesn’t matter anyway. I can’t stand up.”

“Why not?”

Chris gestured to his crotch. “I have a boner of excitement,” he hissed.

“Should have worn the leather pants,” Zach murmured as the theater went dark. He reached for Chris’s hand, squeezing their clammy palms together as a starship moved into view across the screen.

*

Ten minutes into the movie, Chris’s hand was clamped over his mouth and his eyes were shining with tears. Zach was almost torn between keeping his eyes on the movie and watching Chris. He patted him gently on the knee and leaned over to whisper in his ear.

“It’s gonna be okay.”

Chris only shook his head and gave a muffled squeak.

*

 _It’s Jim, Jim Kirk…_

“Chris! He looks just like you!” Zach whispered excitedly.

Chris squinted at the screen. “Oh my god, my head is _not_ that big!”

“It’s uncanny,” Zach continued, ignoring Chris’s protests.

“Stop talking during the movie.”

“I just thought you’d want to know.”

“Thanks,” Chris grumbled. “Now quit drooling over him, he’s not even that cute.”

“I’m not _drooling_.”

“Yes you are.”

“Oh, like you’re not going to cream yourself the moment Karl Urban appears onscreen.”

“Yeah, but that’s _Karl Urban_ ,” Chris whispered. “That man oozes sex.” He gestured to the screen. “I’m just saying, this guy’s no Shatner.”

Zach rolled his eyes. “Thank god.”

“What?!” At least three rows turned to glare at them at Chris’s involuntary shriek.

Zach waited a few minutes until the offended parties had turned their focus back to the movie before he leaned over and continued in a whisper. “Don’t get me wrong, you know I love Shatner and he’s an icon and all that, but you have to admit, the role of Kirk deserves to be attempted by someone who’s not-“

Chris clamped a hand over Zach’s mouth and pulled his head close. “So help me Zachary Quinto, if you finish that sentence, I cannot be held responsible for my actions.”

*

 _I do not know._

“Oh my god,” Chris whispered, gripping Zach’s thigh. “You _need_ that outfit!”

Zach nodded, grinning. “Make it for me?” he asked.

Chris stared at the screen, taking in as much detail as he could. Of course, he couldn’t guarantee that Zach would get to wear the black Academy instructor uniform for more than two minutes before Chris tore it off of him, but... He looked over at Zach and winked. “Fuck yeah.”

*

 _Bones! Buckle up!_

Chris turned his head and leaned in toward Zach. “Okay, fine,” he admitted. “He’s _kind of_ cute.”

Zach grinned. “I knew you’d come around,” he whispered. He lifted Chris’s chin with a finger and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Doesn’t matter though,” he said, meeting Chris’s eyes. “You’re the only Kirk for me.”

Chris nodded solemnly. “The captain of your heart.”

“Don’t push it.”

**

Zach’s heart was pounding as they left the theater, and not just from the residual excitement of what he had to admit had been a truly amazing movie. Sure he had a few nits to pick – an ice planet? really? could they _be_ any more obvious about ripping off Star Wars? - but overall, the movie had been impressive, and he already felt immersed in a new but familiar world.

Chris had his iPhone out and was eagerly opening up an app on the screen. “I’m getting us tickets for Friday,” he told Zach as they walked toward the exit. “Do you want me to get them for Saturday, too? Or is Sunday better?”

“Sunday,” Zach told him distractedly, not even questioning the fact that they would be seeing this movie at least another dozen times before it left theaters.

Zach sped up to walk with Jeff as Chris and Tasha talked animatedly behind him. He overheard something about Spock and Kirk being stranded together in a freezing cave – apparently Chris hadn’t had a problem with the ice planet. They’d have to have words later.

Outside, Zach steered them across the street, away from the crowds but still within view of the theater. He pulled Jeff aside and handed him the camera, then he ran a hand through his hair, brushed his fingers over his ears to make sure the tips weren’t bent, and straightened his lapel. He looked over to see Chris staring up at the massive billboard of the Enterprise above the marquee, his hands clutched to his chest. “That movie was fucking awesome. God, this is like the best day of my _life_!”

Zach gave Jeff a look. “I almost don’t want to interrupt,” he said dryly, as he watched Chris tear his gaze away to look over at them.

“What?” Chris frowned at Zach’s bemused expression, and his eyes flicked between Zach and Jeff. “What are you guys talking about?”

Zach swallowed and took a step toward Chris, reaching for his hand. “Chris, I’m really glad we got to see this movie together.”

“Uh, yeah, me too,” Chris said, furrowing his brow in confusion as he slid his hand into Zach’s.

Zach glanced nervously at Jeff, who gave him an encouraging nod. The sounds of the street seemed to fade to a dull murmur, or maybe that was just the blood rushing in his ears. He took a deep breath and looked Chris in the eye. “I just, sometimes I think it’s crazy, how we got to this point, you know? I’ve been thinking about it a lot recently, about that moment I first saw you, standing in the hallway of the Marriott dressed as James T. Kirk-“

Chris gasped and put a hand over his mouth, his eyes widening. Zach let his lips quirk up in a half smile as he continued. “And ever since that moment, I’ve known that you were someone that I wanted in my life. And-“ He glanced to the side and swallowed hard before he looked back. “I’ve been so lucky-“ His words caught in his throat as he felt his eyes brim with hot, unexpected tears. “Fuck,” he breathed, laughing a little as he caught Chris’s eye.

“Zach,” Chris breathed, dropping his hand from his mouth.

Zach fumbled in his pocket, his hand shaking as he pulled out the ring and slid it clumsily onto Chris’s finger. He’d forgotten half of his speech, but he managed to keep his voice clear and steady as he skipped to the most important part. “Chris - jtk1980 - will you marry me?”

Chris’s response was an enthusiastic embrace that nearly knocked the wind out of Zach, and he smiled, relief and joy flooding through him as he returned the hug. Chris’s face was buried in his neck and his voice was muffled, but Zach could feel the words against his skin, “Zach” and “yes” and “love you” on repeat. He tried to pull Chris up for a kiss and was surprised to find him resisting, didn’t understand until Chris finally looked up at him and Zach could see the tears streaming down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” Chris said, laughing as he wiped futilely at his eyes. “I can’t help it…” He kissed Zach on the lips, then hid his face again, pressing his forehead to Zach’s temple.

A light flashed, and Chris looked over to see Jeff grinning at them from behind the camera. Tasha stood next to him, dabbing at her eyes with a sleeve.

“Why are _you_ crying?” Chris choked out, laughing.

Tasha shook her head. “Chris…you guys…I just…”

“Wow,” Chris murmured to Zach, loud enough for the others to hear. “Tasha’s speechless. I never thought I’d see the day.”

Tasha gave him the finger and a teary smile before turning away to press her face into Jeff’s shoulder.

Zach stroked his fingers lightly across the back of Chris’s neck, regaining his attention. Chris nuzzled in closer as they swayed slightly in place.

“I got the ring engraved,” Zach told him quietly. “It says-“ he paused, then breathed the word that he’d whispered shyly to Chris for the first time many years ago – “ _t’hy’la_.”

“Oh my god,” Chris sobbed, as a fresh stream of tears began to flow. “Are you _trying_ to kill me?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, Zach, so much.” He wiped his face on Zach’s shoulder before catching his lips in a kiss, a real one this time, a passionate tangle of tongues that Zach was pretty sure was bordering on inappropriate by the time Chris pulled away.

“Wait…how long have you had this ring?!” he asked, his eyes wide.

“Um. Like two months.”

“Two months?!” Chris cried, sounding genuinely distressed. “Zach, why did you wait so long?!”

“I wanted to wait until tonight.” He gestured toward the theater. “You know – the ‘greatest night of your life’?”

“Zach.” Chris cupped Zach’s cheek in his palm and touched their foreheads together. “Any time you would have asked me would have been the greatest night of my life.”

Zach closed his eyes, basking in the moment, in the joy that he felt surging through him, in Chris’s love surrounding him. In Chris’s warm breath against his ear as he whispered, “Now I need to take you home and do things to you.”

Zach chuckled as he felt a spark of lust shoot through him, and he glanced up at Tasha and Jeff. “So, um, I think we’re gonna head home,” he said apologetically.

Tasha grinned at them. “Go. Celebrate. Give us a call tomorrow when you decide to emerge for sustenance.”

Zach smiled gratefully, blushing. “Will do. ’Night, guys.”

“Goodnight and congratulations, Lieutenant Commander, Captain,” Jeff said, giving them a salute as they parted ways.

Despite their urgency, they decided to walk home, savoring the evening as they strolled the familiar route, hand-in-hand, fingers intertwined – except for every five minutes when Chris would let go to grin idiotically at the ring.

“So…can I get you one?”

“You’d better.”

Chris gave a little jump of happiness. Zach was pretty sure that if they weren’t holding hands, Chris would be spinning in circles down the sidewalk. And, okay, yeah, maybe Zach would be, too.

The conversation turned back to the movie as they cut through a corner of the park.

“So what did you think of the whole Spock-gets-with-Uhura thing?” Chris asked.

“Hey, even I have to admit that she’s hot. So, you know. Let him have his dalliances before he discovers his true destiny with Kirk.”

Chris laughed. “I like the way you think.”

“I thought you might.”

“And dude, how awesome was Bones?!”

“Seriously awesome. Your boyfriend Karl Urban was like _channeling_ DeForest Kelley. It was unreal.”

“It was. It would be downright creepy if I weren’t so distracted by his rugged good looks.”

“Yeah, yeah. So what was your favorite part?”

Chris squeezed his hand. “The part where you asked me to marry you.”

Zach ducked his head and smiled despite himself. “Dork.”

They walked quietly for a while, lost in their own thoughts, neither of them able to keep their smiles from bursting forth at random intervals. Chris was the first to break the silence.

“Do you ever think how weird it is that without Star Trek, we probably never would have met?”

“Yeah. Well…without the combination of Star Trek and our obsessive tendencies.”

“True. Although…maybe we _would_ still have met,” Chris mused, glancing at Zach.

“How?”

Chris shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe we both would have been obsessed with, like, _Knight Rider_ or something.”

“ _ **Knight Rider**_ , god, Chris, of all the things you could pick,” Zach said, putting a hand over his eyes as though Chris’s choice of an alternative fandom had pained him to his very core.

Chris just smiled and looked down at the ground. “I’m just saying, you know, Star Trek was just the vehicle. Maybe in an alternate universe, we would have met some other way.”

They came to a stop in a strip of moonlight that splashed across a section of the path. Zach ran a finger down Chris’s cheek and leaned for a kiss. “You mean, like destiny?”

Chris nodded. “Like epic, universe-transcending love.”

“Mmm, I like the sound of that.” Zach wrapped his arms around Chris and pulled him close.

“Or maybe I just think you’re a total hottie and I don’t want anyone else to get their hands on you,” Chris murmured, touching his lips to Zach’s cheek, pressing kiss after kiss along his jaw.

“And maybe I just want guaranteed life-long access to your ridiculously delectable ass,” Zach said, sliding his hands down to show his appreciation.

“Probably destiny though,” Chris said, leaning back.

“Yeah, probably,” Zach agreed.

The moonlight illuminated their matching grins.

“Still, though, thank god for Star Trek, right?” Zach said, throwing an arm around Chris’s shoulders as they started walking again. He shook his head. “ _Knight Rider_ , Jesus.”

Chris’s laugh lit up the darkness, and he steered them into the night toward home.


End file.
